Neptunia One-Shots: Neptune x Noire and Purple Heart x Black Heart
by Tainted - Klelthin
Summary: A massing and massive collection of NepNowa and Purple-and-Black for what will be ANY occasion! There will always be updates, and plenty of varied content and ratings chock full of Neps and TsunQueens for your everyday needs! Feed the urge, worship best ship immediately! Now, do it for Lastation, and do it for Planeptune! [Neps eternally]
1. One-shot 1!

**Hello, hello! Tainted here - your friendly neighborhood Neptunia addict, with what is the first story to the long list of one-shots I throw onto this fanfiction post! But, you probably already knew that, huh? Regardless, it's _great_ to have you on board, honestly, or at least browsing along. I hope you find something here that catches your eye. :D There's quite a spread to be had!**

 **Regardless - I hope you find something in this long posting of shots, and that this is a decent testament to the quality of work you will find here. Enjoy!**

* * *

Multiple weeks have passed since the incident. Hard to believe, too - they're the kind of days that felt like years, to me. Honestly, it's still a little surreal, and _that's_ putting it mildly. I sigh, leaning back on the frilly pink bed, squishing a cushy pillow to my chest. Her scent wafts into my nose, and I feel my muscles ease up just a little, though I'd _never_ tell anyone else about that. Hell, I don't even know if I believe it, myself.

Really, it's kind of bizarre - the kind of thing I could only see happening in a video game. Chased out of your Basilicom to go do some honest, earnest work to counteract the bad image you've managed to portray, and yet somehow get sucked into another dimension? _Really?_ And I thought _Blanc_ wrote bad plotlines. Ah, crap. Shouldn't think like that. Ahem. And yet, here we are, or rather, here I am, sitting in her room - isolated, quiet, silent, and ultimately, alone.

Nepgear went with her - well, _after_ her, really. She managed to get sucked in and was spit out in the other dimension, rather than that dolt coming through to our side. She's normally hardworking and earnest, but I _do_ admit, I could really throttle her right now. Yeah, I can understand missing your sister - I really can, but _you_ weren't the only one riding on Histoire's portal working.

It wouldn't be so bad, except that I'm also working around the clock to maintain Planeptune's shares, all the while while maintaining my own. No help from Lowee and Leanbox, of course, but that's to be expected - Vert and Blanc are both busy trying desperately to quell the riots in their own cities. Hah, who has the checks and balances in their systems now? It's not you two, that's for sure.

I sigh, pinching my side in annoyance. Get it together! This isn't the time to feel resentment and singularity - Gamindustri has to stand united against… whoever is inciting these problems. I have to keep my head up, keep my mind clear, and keep myself busy. It's the responsibility of the CPU to maintain order in times of chaos.

...And yet, I hug the pillow tighter. I can talk all I want, but when I'm alone or when she's gone for prolonged periods, I can feel it - I slip back into the isolated, independent nature that I'm notoriously known for. It's hard to stay motivated to contribute to the whole of Gamindustri, to keep plugging along when… well, when she's gone. It's strange, really. I resent her and get annoyed whenever she's around and teasing me, but I miss her when it's just me. I laugh bitterly, shaking my head.

This was probably intensified by the fact, especially, that the few times I get to speak to her, she's so bitter or busy or ignorant that she ignores me or gets coarse and bitter. Hell, I don't even _know_ what's going on over there, but I hear there's another me - I wonder if I'm treating her well enough? I'd hope so.

I admit it, I miss her. I actually can admit it, to myself. I miss Neptune, in all of her lazy, idiotic glory. Without her, this entire ordeal feels a bit more meaningless. Uni must be of the same thought-train, considering she suddenly sagged visibly when we learned that Nepgear got sent to the other dimension as well. She's doing her best to stay busy and keep Lastation and Planeptune afloat, too, but it's wearing on her more openly than it is me.

I grumble, throwing the pillow to the side as I sit up, hopping to my feet. I stare at her bed with a frown, contemplating a power nap. If people found me out, I'd never live it down, so I'll opt to not, but… I sigh, fiddling with my hair and outfit. Maybe, when all of this is over, I can try to talk to her more openly, more sincerely. Maybe, I can keep her around so that I don't have to deal with this bitter loneliness and aching in my chest.

Or… I frown. I'd better not think like that - _what if I attempt dimensional travel, too?_ \- I can't afford thoughts like that right now. I need to buckle down and maintain the two nations so that she has somewhere to come back to, when this is all over. Oh, and Nepgear too.

You'd better not keep me waiting much longer, you dolt, or I'll come find you myself.

* * *

 **[The original version can be found below. :)]**

* * *

It's been a few days.

I sigh in aggravation, my cheeks flushing gently as my body protests any more movement. A few weeks have passed since that idiot got dragged into the other dimension, doing who knows what while probably slacking off like always… All the while, _we_ have to sit and safeguard her nation as well as ours against whatever this stupid organization is. It's proving more difficult than expected and the Planeptune populace is getting _really_ annoyed that their mascot and work-horse (respectively two people, I feel an inward apologetic pang for poor little Nepgear,) haven't been seen in quite some time. Annoying.

Our little guardian and supervisor, Histoire, seems dedicated on researching methods to bring them _both_ home, as soon as possible, yet most of the work requiring this falls on _their_ end. And when I last dropped by to talk to her, she was slacking off and being rude, as usual! Is that how you say thank you to the person trying to save your nation?! Ugh…

I sigh again, pouting now as I lean back in her Basilicom room, lounging on her bed lazily as I stare at the array of newly-organized games and miscellaneous stuff. It wasn't like I had anything else to do for a while, and now I'm tired. I deserve a few minutes, right? No one else is around, anyway.

Her scent still lingers on this pillow, and I find deep comfort in it. I would never dare tell anyone, but… she smells really nice. These last two weeks have been really rough for me; the other CPUs are off being themselves and we're all not really talking much again, and my sister's becoming more volatile as she misses the younger sister, Nepgear. I'd never admit it, but I miss the friendly, stupid, workless days she brings to our lives and… I miss her.

Stupid, I know. The strong and favorable Black Heart _misses_ one of her rivals. It's nonsensical and silly, but Neptune… makes it all different. She brings the life to our Gamindustri, and even being a lazy, slacking idiot is enough to make most of the days interesting. At first when she disappeared, I wasn't worried and figured that the quiet time would be good for work, but now…

My fingers clench around the pillow as I bury my face further in it, my pout intensifying. Stupid, stupid Neptune. You can't just leave me here and go off and do whatever. Why don't you understand that? When you come home, I'm going to lecture you and make you do all the work here singlehandedly for weeks…

I grumble, my resolve to be mean fading. Supposedly, she's in a world parallel to ours where she herself doesn't exist but some even bigger harebrained dolt does – who isn't allowed to transform for some apparently terrifying reason – and the world's a lot different, yet the rest of us exist in our early years; meaning no sisters, no pre-established nations, and people had to go and find some stupid thing to become CPUs. What's up with that? We were born like this.

I hope she isn't finding someone interesting over there. She seems hesitant to return home, according to Histoire, and I'm getting a little depressed. If she doesn't come home, I… I don't know. It'll all be meaningless. And apparently the other me is meaner to Neptune than I am. Why?! You idiot, don't you understand how… how special she is?!

I sit up, glaring at the wall while squishing the pillow against myself as I look around. I wonder if Histoire would be too upset to lose another CPU for a while…

* * *

 **This is, also, actually, an updated version of the first one-shot here. I can post the original at the bottom, but I've decided that _perhaps_ when I've got the time or just have a few minutes rather than the couple of hours required to write a new one-shot or an update to one of my actual Neptunia stories, that I'd revise and redo some of my older stories to clarify and better them. Make sense? I've gotten a better handle on my style since... well, last March/April of 2016, I think. Or was it 2015? Nah, probably not.**

 **I'm gonna' make a habit of this and see if people notice. It should be good for some in-between-posts content.**

 **If you read on, welcome to the main Purple and Black posting under my name. :)**

 **Tainted out!~**


	2. One-shot 2!

**Hello again! More content, more sweet, yuri goodness, and more Noire and Neptune! This time, from a third-person perspective of which I'm really not too comfortable with, but I tried it all the same!**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its characters, nor any of the content regarding any of that - I simply wished to express the same love for the series that I, myself, hold. All rights to their respective owners, being NIS America, Compile Heart, and the other companies involved in making such a brilliant game series. Please support them and check them out. :D**

 **Now, short synopsis; this is a random moment following Arfoire's defeat and redemption, and the birth of the three nations' sisters, Uni, Nepgear and Rom and Ram. What happens when the duo decides to head out and work on quests together for the bettering of their nations? Why, if the basis of what these stories lead to mean anything, it means; SUBTLE AND DELICIOUS YURI/FRIENDSHIP!**

 **ONWARD!**

"Neptune, to your left!" a voice shouts, batting away a slime-like creature with a dog muzzle and ears decorating its face. The 'Dogoo' as it's called, slams against a nearby tree and wiggles unpleasantly before melting into nothingness as three square-shaped chicks hop forward in response.

"Hm? Oh!" another voice responds, dodging a mini-cyclone left by a strange, walking orange-petal tulip. "Thanks – to your right, more Boxbirds approaching," she says again, receiving a grunt as an answer, and then lurching forward to slice the flower-monster to pieces with her shimmering purple-and-black katana. Petals flutter into the wind as she sighs, shaking her head to rid herself of fatigue as she watches her partner huff and easily dash the 'Boxbirds' into oblivion. "Nice work, Noire."

"As if I'd have problems with these small-fry," she laughs proudly, her lime-colored eyes sparkling merrily as her blade breaks away, disappearing at her mental command. She runs a hand casually through her long, flowing white hair as she peers about the forest, her purple-haired companion approaching.

"You can never be too careful, you know," Neptune, also known as the Purple Heart CPU, reminds her partner while surveying the corpses for any decent item drops. Finding nothing, she huffs and shakes her head again as her lengthy braids twirl comfortably in the motion. "Nothing in the way of items, so we're far from done. Are you okay still, Noire?" she asks, propping herself against a tree as she slides down the bark lazily, resting.

Noire, the Black Heart CPU, turns and cocks her head curiously as she follows Neptune's idea and drops to her backside, resting against the tree. "Of course I am. This sort of work's really simple after all the things we've had to do to defeat Arfoire. There's no way that this would be a challenge for someone like me," she says, her confidence spilling forth as if a dam had a large hole in it.

"I suppose, though I think I'm going to take a break for a bit now that this part of the forest is clear; we have some time before our sisters return from their jobs, as well," the violet-haired CPU states, closing her eyes somewhat while leaning her head back. "The air here is nice and warm, today. It'd be a good day to sit and rest while eating some pudding."

A snort resounds from the snow-haired CPU as she shakes her head, thoroughly baffled. "It might be, but unlike you, I can't afford to take my days so leisurely. There's a lot of repair work and faith to restore in my people, and raising my shares is a large necessity to remain the strongest nation. If I don't, I have _those_ _two_ to worry about," she remarks, frowning in annoyance. Not that she can complain, in reality – Neptune had, surprisingly, agreed to help out with her work in Lastation today, so free labor isn't something one can spit on – since she enjoyed having the company of her unadmitted best friend and rival. But she'd never dare say that outwardly – Neptune would tease her relentlessly about it after returning to her regular form.

"That makes sense, but if you were to continue only working and focusing on competing, wouldn't we all be back to the same we were before my amnesia and the Arfoire incident?" Purple Heart responds, frowning sadly while extending a hand to the sky. "I like things the way they are, and I like being friends with all of you. Maybe being lazy makes me weak or whatever you all view, but perhaps it's enjoyable this way."

Black Heart blinks, utterly awestruck at this extreme rationale emanating from her normally lackadaisical ally. She knows Neptune becomes more mature and wiser when she transforms, but… well, she notes internally, she never really had a lengthy conversation with 'Purple Heart' before… even before the Arfoire incident, really. She turns her head slightly, secretly admiring the tired yet peaceful face of the Planeptune CPU as she smiles gently. "Maybe… maybe you have a point, though I still can't let those two take the lead if you want to keep that dream a reality. Though," she drops her voice to a whisper, mumbling more to herself, "even if we did all go back to war, Planeptune and Lastation can remain allied instead."

"…Hm? Did you say something?" Purple Heart inquires, earning a flustered and awkward reaction from her friend. While she'd never admit it to Noire, Neptune _can_ hear all the quiet murmurings, and as a result, she smiles. Even when she returns to her dorkier form, she feels a kindred closeness with Noire more-so than the other CPUs. "Perhaps you're right," Neptune responds finally, leaving it vague so as to let her friend wonder which part she was answering. "Maybe we can preserve this peacefulness and continue all being friends instead of rivals. After all, if our sisters can do it, maybe we can, too."

Black Heart nods, smiling now, as well. "You talk big, but you're just too lazy to want to win, now."

Purple Heart makes a grunting sound of playful disapproval as her HDD disengages, and Black Heart's face suddenly flushes as she feels Neptune sleeping quietly on her left side. She blinks, observing the small girl with curiosity. There's no real point to objecting at this, anyway; she's asleep and out cold. Not that it's… really a big problem, too. Disengaging her own HDD, Noire carefully readjusts Neptune's head to rest more comfortably against her as Neptune nuzzles in closer, utterly comfortable. Ignoring the tomato-color overtaking her cheeks, Noire sighs with a smile and rests her head partially against the tree and partially on Neptune's head, her crimson eyes peering up at the sky.

After whenever, as Noire, too, drifts into slumber, one can hear her murmur a singular sentence as she, too, indulges in a nap.

"Maybe… we can… be more, someday…"


	3. One-shot 3!

**Once again, we proceed with now a slightly longer story from the view of Planeptune's main CPU, Neptune! I tried my hardest to keep characters in as close to their natural personalities as possible, and I hope that other people enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed writing it. :D If you ever want to take the ideas found here, just lemme' know and go ahead and do it. :D I also sometime intend to probably re-do these as separate stories from time to time and create longer, more in-depth stories instead of sweet, short one-shots.**

 **I do not own anything relating to Hyperdimension Neptunia, nor its characters, content, or any of the amazing beauty it actually is. All rights are owned and reserved by their respective companies, being Compile Heart, NIS America, and the others, with my only interest in this being expressing some friendly stories regarding the non-canon couple. Please support this amazing series if you love comedy, action, and delicious yuri hints. :D**

 **Synopsis; in trouble with Histoire, (again), Neptune finds herself bored and far from interested in working for Planeptune's betterment. Her solution? An attempt to badger Noire, with a slight, unexpected twist in her nature! Gasp!**

* * *

" **Don't return until you've completed some work!** "

These words continually ring in my head as I stumble out of the Basilicom, sighing tiredly. Ever since Histoire became the manager of Planeptune, she and Iffy became really hard on me for napping and gaming constantly. Compa, unfortunately, took their side today, too, so now I'm outnumbered entirely and Nepgear is nowhere to be found. What a pain.

Truthfully, I get the whole work concept and why it's important – but it isn't really something I do well. No one likes a main character that sits at a desk all day and does nothing! There'd be no plot to this story…! I sigh, knowing no one else is around to react to me right now, and it's awfully lonely. After all; when am I not surrounded by people who groan or laugh at my humor?

Wait, wait wait wait WAIT a minute. Awfully lonely… awfully lonely… lonely… I wonder if there's anyone I know who might be lonely. I ponder this while skipping gently along the main Planeptune streets, using this question as means of procrastinating taking on quests or some other boring chore. Someone who doesn't have friends, who hates not having my company, who always pretends they love doing their job 24/7… Nope! Can't think of them!

I chuckle to myself, walking toward the transport leading to Lastation. I know _just_ who can make the day better.

Arriving in Lastation, I quickly divert myself to the Basilicom, taking care to avoid any and all distractions. If I don't, _she_ gets upset because _she_ wasn't the first priority, after all. Proceeding past the guards, I enter the main building and set to looking around. It's a lot more illustrious and formal than Planeptune's, and frankly, while I'd never say it outwardly – I don't like it. It's too showy, and not always practical enough. Ignoring this slight stab at a hardware I know nothing about, I manage to find the main central office-like area and stand at the door. I smile happily, mentally preparing myself for the constant berating and yet subtle satisfaction that is about to come. Taking a breath, I step back before pushing open the door forcefully, skipping into the room with a wide grin, shouting joyfully.

"Hey, Noire!"

…Except, there's no response and no one at the desk. Okay, that's _weeeeird._ Where is the workaholic queen of lonerism?! Was she kidnapped?! Did she go out on a date?! Or… is she… no… it couldn't be… _IS NOIRE OUT WITH A FRIEND?!_

I gently slip into her bedroom (which is conveniently linked to her office), finding her sprawled out, sleeping deeply on her bed. Phew. Dodged a _major_ bullet there. I smile, ignoring that strange nagging sense of relief as I creep up on her sleeping frame – ensuring I walk with my hands folded like a T-rex with my fingers down while taking overly flashy, drawn-out steps. On further inspection as I stare at her, I realize she's _really_ out of it. Did she work herself into a coma?

I frown at this, noticing a small paper lying beside her. Picking it up, it reads out a request from the populace to stamp out some monsters threatening the safety of Lastation. I stare at it, shifting my eyes over intermittently to observe the sleeping Noire, and I find myself at a crossroads. If I go out and solve it quietly, Noire'll get the credit and won't have to herself – or, I could sit and rouse her out of bed like a wife would, accompany her, stomp out the monsters, and return back to hang out – or, I could take a nap and prevent her from accomplishing anything at all for a while.

…This sense of nagging friendship is entirely unlike me, but… I suppose if it's for her. I nod to myself, quickly searching through the other papers for any other jobs she has, collecting them to take with me as I slip out of her room, the office, and then the Basilicom as I leave Lastation, heading for my destinations.

x

I think a few hours passed since I set out on my quest, my gamer determination at an all-time high. I managed to transform and wipe out multiple areas and settlements of monsters, clearing the forests and a few of the factories without being detected by any of the populace. So far, so good, I'd guess. I think that was the majority of the assignments, too, so I'm hoping that this lessens that workaholic's list a ton. If not, I really _will_ sit and prevent her from accomplishing anything more until she takes a break and naps a bit.

Having finished clearing yet another factory, I quickly proceed back to Lastation, having changed back to good 'ol Neppy-nep, smiling to myself at my accomplishments today. However, on my way back to the Basilicom, I get stopped by a few of the guards who refuse to acknowledge that I, as main character and the beautiful Neptune, get to go bother Noire whenever, and I'm forced to sit until Noire herself comes out to solve the problem.

She seems tired and annoyed as she listens to the guards' reports about me, and keeps tossing small glares in my direction. This does not fill the Nep with determination. After a few more minutes pass, the guards return to their stations as Noire crosses her arms, frowning at me.

"What'd you come here for?" she asks flatly, and I smile awkwardly. Not the greeting today that I'd been expecting – before _and_ after all my work.

"I came to say hi and see what you were up to," I respond. Something flashes across her face, though I'm not sure what it was as I take a breath and recompose myself. "I wanted to ensure the loner wasn't lonely without me and had to make sure she'd come and eat pudding with me," I say with a goofy smile, earning me a flustered look from her.

"I'm… a bit busy, Neptune. Work's been constant, Lastation needs a lot of help, a lot of technological advances have been needed to compete in the market, and I can't find most of the papers detailing assignments I had to get done today. You avoiding Histoire will have to wait," she says monotonously, seeming more than bothered by all of it. Something inside me wants to make her laugh or shout, though I don't know what, at the moment. Fatigue from the last few hours is finally catching up to me.

"Well, uh. Can I go take a nap in your room, then? I'm kind of tired."

She sighs, nodding as she leads me back to her bedroom before quickly returning to the office to set about a giant pile of paperwork. Hopping up onto her plushy mattress, I sit and smile at the comfortableness of it and it occurs to me that she doesn't use this bed nearly enough. Finding a playful grin spreading along my face, I tug out the papers I took from her and snatch another blank one off the ground, taking a pen off her nightstand as I scribble out a note before passing out.

 _Hey, Noire,_

 _You did a great job completing all of these. I hope you realize that you can relax a little bit and take a nap later with me. Being lazy is good and Neps save your lonely soul. Good luck, and I'll make you eat pudding later with me. –Nep-nep._

 _…And P. S.; you need to use your bed more, or I'll make you use it with me._

* * *

 **And another one, is done! I think this one turned out rather okay, and I liked keeping my first one-shots short and sweet. Some of these later ones are getting a lot longer, so be prepared. :D I have plenty of ideas and plenty of determination!**


	4. One-shot 4!

**Far more straightforward, concrete Nep x Noire goodness. I mean, all of these can be somewhat construed as awkward friendship that is finally budding between girls, but hey. To each their own. Another first person Neptune with a pretty good basis, I'd think, following Neptune's antics pretty well if there was more development to the characters' relationships rather than just jokes and subtle hints. But, hey. You can tell me how you feel about it after reading it. :D Right?**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its characters, nor its content; I just love the series and wish to express adoration for such a cute, funny, brilliant series. All rights owned by Compile Heart, NIS America, and the other companies that brought this game to life. Please support such an amazing game series so we may get more in the future. :D**

 **Synopsis; Neptune's back from the other dimension, a bit grown up, and a bit more clingy and jealous than she wanted to let on. However, as we know with all good main characters - determination always brings results! Hooray!**

* * *

"Noire, hey, whatcha' doing today?!"

I smile happily as the raven-haired, red-eyed CPU of Lastation jumps in surprise before turning quickly to face me, her face flushing gently in embarrassment. Her eyes are wide, sparkling, and as determined as ever as she shifts the papers in her hand off to the side slightly to focus her attention on me, a pseudo-frown-smile on her face that she will undoubtedly play off as 'disinterest'.

"Hey, Neptune. I'm, uh, working on Lastation today, like usual. Do you… need something?" she asks, somewhat hesitant as I beam, shaking my head as I run forward and tackle her, hugging her tightly. She yelps in surprise and bewilderment, falling backward onto her backside as she groans in mild discomfort before placing a hand on my head, trying to half-heartedly peel me off. "Wh… what are you doing?!"

"Hugging my best friend, duh."

When did this start, I wonder? Well, no, I really _don't_ wonder. In fact, I'm **positive** it was after _that_ turn of events. Those events regarding the Ultradimension were the catalyst to all of this, and frankly, while I'll admit it to myself… I'll never admit that to anyone else. The concept of having to see Noire fawn over Plutia every day actually bothered me on multiple levels, and while I never admitted it, I always turned my head slightly and tried to quickly change topics or make light of it. Of course, Plutia is a little dense so it wasn't exactly horrible, but… Noire not showing that side to me like my Noire does, really ended up getting to me. Now that we came home and there's a consistent portal open between the dimensions, I found myself obsessively and compulsively spending a _lot_ more time around my Noire. The others seem to not really find it out of the ordinary, but Plutia seems somewhat upset. Oh well, she's far from alone now so it's not really all that bad, right?

My Noire's been receptive of my antics, not minding the attention at all under that tsundere façade of hers. Now, after a few weeks' worth of days like today, she doesn't even get mad or argue. She just gives in and spends more of her day with me. The only real issue is that the _other_ Noire also seems to have noticed this due to wanting to adapt new techniques to bettering Lastation in both dimensions. She typically gets upset and tries to get rid of me, but I think my Noire's realized how futile that idea really is. A Nep may get knocked down, but you'll never keep her down; it fills her with determination!

"B-but, I need to finish this report so Lastation can release a new line of technology, Neptune… Can't you wait a little bit?" she attempts to protest as I snuggle into her warm frame, and I lift my head up gently to stare at her for a moment, contemplating my response.

"What kind of hardware? Are they gonna' be new games or is it something for development?" I ask, tilting my head softly as her eyes widen. Yeah, the Nep isn't _dumb_ , just lazy.

"It's going to be both," the other Noire answers as she enters the room, Uni following with a jealous expression on her face. Ironically, Nepgear and she are really close too, so I wonder if there's something there that I should be supporting or opposing… eh, it can wait, as I hug Noire a bit tighter. "Though, I'm actually kind of surprised you asked that. Have you been learning how to be less lazy?"

"No," I respond flatly, smiling innocently, "I just never really had a reason to be interested in it. Planeptune's systems here don't normally need updated software or hardware, just newer games to keep the populace happy and having fun. I actually implemented those same reforms with Plutia way back when, hence why we never, well, really needed to focus on it like everyone else did. Histoire's just a stickler for wanting to be the best nation when it really doesn't matter to us." Judging by the surprised and baffled expressions, I must've sounded far off from how I normally do. Maybe I'm a bit different, but, whatever.

My Noire finally shifts a little, patting my head as she smiles awkwardly. "Do you want to, um, beta test our games then while we finish the reports up? We've tested it ourselves, though; we haven't really had the nerve or the confidence in the other nations to ask for non-Lastation members to give us an opinion. Lowee and Leanbox always like to compete, after all."

"Sure, lay it on me, sister. It's dangerous to test it alone; take Nep."

And after I'm set up on this new, giant black box with a decent bit of, well, unnecessarily but symbolic flashiness, I'm left to test out a new high-end graphics game built around an FPS in the future. The game itself is really steampunk'ish, and the level design reminds me of older years in Lastation – the AI being really responsive and the game's difficulty being pretty average. I breeze past most of the levels, collecting some obvious trophies along the way before I pause it and set it down. The handling of Lastation game consoles will never cease to be smooth, I'll give them that.

Turning around, I notice that all three girls had been watching me with baited breaths, and I smile genuinely and bow my head. "It's a fun concept, but my only real suggestion is you need more cameos and small secrets to give the players a sense of completionism and a tiny bit of nostalgia. It's a good game though, with improved controls and a step forward in graphics and over-all game ability. It'll be a nice hit for the more intense fans, though people who focus less on steampunk and FPS will probably not be a great market. You can count Lowee's populace out from enjoying this one too much, though Leanbox's guys may be highly invested."

Uni smiles, speaking before the others. "That was the hope we had, since we wanted to appeal to the world instead of just ourselves. We wanted to stop dividing Gamindustri," she says, beaming as both Noires flush and shush her. "Oops, um, I mean… you didn't hear anything, Neptune!"

"I was so focused on how good a nap sounds. You were talking about how I deserve a stack of pudding, right?" I smile, winking as she nods in appreciation before disappearing to go grab me one. "Make sure it's cold, please! Warm pudding is a sin, a sin!"

The two Noires congregate together, whispering quietly while eying me, as if hoping I'm not eavesdropping. I get up and walk out to the balcony overseeing everything, whistling while stretching. Leaning on the rail of the balcony, I inhale deeply, taking the scent of Lastation into my nose. While I can't honestly say I've loved the smell of industry and the dark, monochrome feel of the city, I don't hate it, either. It's all Noire, and I can't say she has a single trait about her that I don't like, so I guess by extension, I don't dislike any of the city, either. Except the guards. They hate beautiful, small girls.

Footsteps sound behind me, and I turn to find my Noire coming over to talk, I think. She smiles and leans against the rail casually while staring up at the sky. We sit quietly for a few minutes, wordless, before a sense of want to hear her voice develops in my stomach and I think of something to say promptly.

"You really work hard," I say, smiling. I dropped the loner jokes on my Noire because of the fact that we both agreed at an earlier point that I am her best friend, and by the old logic I teased her with, she's not a loner now because of it. She seems glad that I stopped, and was even happier to be able to acknowledge she had me as a best friend – even if that tsundere personality tried to play it off. I still tease her about that, but, it's a bit different now. Feeling that urge now, I smirk, "Are you trying to show me how good of a wife you could be?"

Her face lights up immediately and she yelps and coughs, covering her face with her hands while glaring at me. The squeak at first made this all _so_ worth it, as I laugh quietly while waiting for her to recompose herself. "That… that…!"

"Hey, Neptune. I brought your pudding," Uni calls, walking over while beaming. I grin and accept my reward for my efforts, and she joins us at the railing as she develops this rather shy demeanor, shifting nervously. "Um, I wanted to ask. What is Nepgear... up to, today?"

I smile, deciding not to tease this one. Uni's far less confident than Noire, and far shyer. "Nepgear's been thinking of a good reason to come see you, but hasn't as Histoire decided I was a lost cause and wanted her to start preparing to be the second Planeptune CPU here. She stopped being able to argue the logic that there could only be one," I found myself changing my tone randomly at those last five words, but whatever, "when we came back after there being, really, four CPUs using the other dimension's Planeptune shares without a problem. So, she's officially taking over as the 'head CPU' or whatever. You should go visit and offer some moral support or friendly suggestions to take a break – she needs those and Histoire won't listen to me." Both seem somewhat surprised at this statement, though I ignore it as Uni instead seems more focused on the Nepgear parts. I lean over and ask Noire who flusters slightly at the closeness of our faces, "Can Uni take a break to go visit my sister, my lady Noire?"

"I…! Y…Y-you…," she sighs, nodding in frustrated defeat, her ability to speak seemingly failing her. Uni smiles and thanks us both before departing as I give Noire her space, beginning my feast on the presented pudding. Something about pudding while out in the sun is just so nice.

There's this air of awkwardness now in the air as Noire stares at her feet, her face still red. I worry for a bit that I upset her, but then theorize that it might not be _me_ upsetting her, but _me_ being the cause of her flustered feelings. A girl can dream, y'know?

"H-hey, Neptune…," she starts suddenly, and I swallow hard accidentally at how soft and meek her voice sounds. I turn my head, giving her a questioning look as she sits and shifts nervously. **IS THE NOIRE ROUTE COMING TO THE GREAT CONFESSION?!** "I wanted to ask, um… about you, recently."

"What's up?" I say, smiling. There's a nagging sensation of fear here underneath this powerful Nep aura, but let's ignore that and say I'm feeling super confident that it's definitely a confession.

She bites her lip for a moment, her eyes staring at me yet trembling slightly. "Ever since, uh, you came back from the other dimension… You've been… different. Um, I wanted to know… why."

I pause for a moment, gathering all the determination and confidence from around the world, willing to them with a telepathic voice. _Give me your power._ Enough of that. But, yeah. I muster as much of my steely Nep spirit and face her, the final boss to my personal story arc, and lean forward and hug her.

"Because I realized how much I missed and needed you."

She freezes for a moment, and I can almost say my heart was about to shatter, before I felt her arms wrap around me and tighten as she nuzzled into my shoulder. I feel this warm, wet sensation on my jersey's right side, knowing she must be crying softly. The moment of truth, ladies and gentlemen; the climax; the Nepportunity!

"I… I missed you too, Neptune. It was… It was miserable."

I giggle, leaning back before taking charge as my lips meet hers, and I feel my future open up before me.

 **[Nep end.]** _BOOM BABY, NOIRE X NEPTUNE ROUTE SUCCEEDED. NEP'S CLIMBING THE FLAG POLE AND GOT THE PRINCESS. SHE WAS NOT IN ANOTHER CASTLE, MAN._

End.

* * *

 **And this marks the REAL end of the story. Throwing tiny references to other games, stories and stuff as I notice them whenever it becomes a Neptune story, so as to hopefully add to the ditzy, fun, outgoing Nep-nep much like the real series does. :D I hope you enjoyed this, and I'll see you next upload. :D**


	5. One-shot 5!

**One of the longest, if not probably the longest one-shot of the bunch. Possibly expected to become a separate story with a much longer storyline and plot if I want to get back to it. Or, I could just keep pulling random ideas. YEAH!**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its characters, content, nor anything about it - well, besides a copy of some of the games and a heart filled with passion. ;D All rights owned by their respective companies, being Compile Heart, NIS America, and the others. Please support the official releases for more games, anime, and yuri hints. KEEP THE SHIPS ALIVE.**

 **Synopsis: Noire's a damn good friend, well, the real Noire. Not that Plutia-loving one with the lack of Neptune love. Noiptune(?) forever. Also, can you tell I like Uni and Nepgear? No? Okay. :D ONWARD!**

* * *

I wonder; when did I start this?

These strange feelings have been around since Neptune lost her memory as the arrogant and power-hungry Purple Heart, stemming from the first time I met her after she accepted my human form as her ally without knowing my CPU form was the one responsible for wanting her life. Those days of camaraderie and blissful, obnoxious antics and teasing were nice, and even after I revealed my identity to save my people, she still accepted me and wanted to be friends. Even after uniting all four of us to fend off Arfoire, after putting herself at risk to save everyone she could, even after the antics in between, or how many people she was close to. She was still exceptionally close to me, closer than anyone else, and I always tried to cope with her teasing and flirtatious attitude. It seemed like it would always be there, and that those days would be everlasting. I'd sit and work on Lastation, compete with White Heart and Green Heart… er, Blanc and Vert, while Neptune would drop in, trying to avoid Histoire, pestering me and getting in my way. Even after our sisters were created, it didn't change.

That is, until _that_ time.

After a big fight with Histoire, she came to me looking for 'advice', or wanting to get somewhere else to goof off and hang out until Histoire cooled down. Then, her sister also became steadfast and hard on her. I didn't change my ways; I stayed dedicated to my work, and dedicated to being tough on her, too. So were her friends, and Vert and Blanc were even more busy than I was, doing who knows what. And then… she disappeared. The first few days were pretty bad, worrying she actually got upset and vanished, but hearing from Histoire that she somehow ended up in another dimension whilst we were dealing with a growing rebellion in ours, was kind of surprising and unbelievable. Still, Nepgear's reaction was pretty factual and I had to believe it – she somehow ended up in a different version of our world, an older period, with another me, another airhead like her, and rules that were kind of different from our own. That whole, needing a CPU memory to be a CPU, was kind of weird and I still don't understand it. Though, I managed; I was the one mainly taking care of both Planeptune and Lastation, juggling the two while trying to quell those rebellious flags popping up everywhere. I heard a report from Uni and Nepgear that some nasty bitch really actually could dare to harm my sister, and I'd decided to be on the lookout after that. Then, Nepgear also disappeared, and my sister became extremely melancholy. But still, we prevailed. We kept our heads up and kept the nations under control, now with Blanc and Vert being ordered by Histoire to actually, really help us.

I got to speak to her once, but she was in a foul mood and seemed upset at me about something. I didn't even know what, honestly. I retaliated and we argued, but she left promptly after and I was left with a sour taste in my mouth. It bothered me. She and I have always been close; is that changing? I heard that my other self was more of a workaholic than me, and judging by the stories from the Histoires, I was more pre-occupied with that airhead than I was with anything else. I tried to deny that, of course, and so did my other self, apparently, though – I had a friend from the start, the replacement of that world's Neptune, apparently. It was a little heartwarming, but… it couldn't have been _that_ bothering her, right?

And then, we opened a portal linking the dimensions together through some strange luck, and it somehow stayed put even after all the chaos. Life returned to normal, somewhat, with now two of all four CPUs from this world co-existing on two different worlds, minus Planeptune with their dual-airheads of different capability and personalities. I met mine after quite some time, and she seemed nice enough; a bit more confident and progressive than I was, but also far more… I want to say, outspoken and kind of rude. We work well, constantly developing new ideas and products to pump out in both Lastations, with both of our shares the highest in either dimension, with Lowee being only a little bit behind us. Planeptune is of course the lowest, yet also the least troubled, somehow, so all that's left is the state of Leanbox which flip-flops constantly. Not that I really care, honestly; Blanc and Vert seem to stay in contact like Neptune and I do.

So, back to the main question. Why am I going to see Neptune instead of working on new projects? I took to this as a daily routine, and every day it's the same; she and this… Plutia person, are napping together or hanging out with that Peashy girl and the dual IFs and Compas. I'm not sure why I insist on trying to be part of it all, but I try, regardless. Neptune is friendly, albeit a bit less flirtatious and outgoing now, and it occurred to me that my other self may have been the trigger for all of this. I once questioned my other self about it, earning the same exact response from her I'd expected – complete denial, a lack of understanding, and some subtle obsessive focus on Plutia.

Even I'm not that insensitive, and I'm _terrible_ at expressing what I want to say. I _definitely_ am the better dimension Noire.

I sigh, mentally preparing myself for another day of little interaction and only mild progress on repairing what my other self seemingly damaged. Supposedly, too, each day that passed here was a year there, and since it was around two weeks Neptune was gone… a lot of damage must have taken place. Damn me.

I proceed into the Basilicom, heading for Neptune's room. I greet the guards as normal who seem more than happy to see me, as if I'm some beacon of hope for solving their high work demands – though I hate to tell them, I honestly just visit nowadays to see my best friend. Poor guys, but the Histoires have their backs, I think.

Entering that frilly, bright, cheery, girly room, I hear a television blasting and the sounds of some sort of fighting game, and figure she's already up. But, strangely enough; _there's no talking._ Perplexed, I head in and find her playing alone, slumped on her squishy beanbag pillow… chair… thing, halfheartedly smashing some semi-retro guy's face in with a string of combos I can only call ingenious. Clearing my throat quietly, I lean over her as she plays and smile as best I can, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Hey, Neptune. How're you doing?" I ask.

She jumps for a moment, immediately reacting by pausing the game and whirling around, staring at me in surprise for a moment. "Ah! Oh, hey… Oh! Real Noire! You came to visit?"

I hesitate a moment, my question ignored or not noticed. Something's wrong. "Yeah, I wanted to know how you were doing and if you were managing to avoid another double-Histoire lecture."

She nods, a slight smile spreading over her face. "Yeah, they're not around at the moment. They went over to go check on the Blancs and Verts today."

Still no answer. Maybe I should be worried. "Well, I think that's good. Why're you playing alone? Where's… uh… Plutia?" She tenses up; seemingly stricken by something she doesn't want to think about. Her posture gets rigid, leaving me to a simple answer. "She's out with the other me, and I'm guessing the others went with them, right?"

"…Yeah, though it's good. Plutie needs to hang out with other people more. I'm a strong Nep, so I'll just sit and do my own thing."

I frown, inwardly feeling pangs of pain and sympathy. I plop down in the squishy bag next to her, much to her surprise, picking up the second controller. "Well, I'll grace you with my abilities a few times while we wait for them. You want to do co-op or versus?" I smile, and she stares at me stunned. She takes a moment, seeming to understand my meaning before beaming that goofy Neptune smile as she settles into her chair happily, shouting in her normal Neptune tone.

"Co-op. Let's kick some butt."

Shortly into the matches I realize how skilled Neptune actually is at these games. I manage to keep up with her combos and offer what support I can, but she is _really crazily well-versed_ in this. We keep versing maximum difficulty AI with some impressive strength, but they're no match for our teamwork. As a strange man falls to the ground and the word 'Victory' flashes onto the screen, she cheers and I smirk in satisfaction. "Hooray! Totally wiped them out! You're actually really good at this, Noire," she beams at me and I find myself returning the expression.

"Well, I _have_ to be if I ever need to teach you a lesson," I respond with a wink to which she laughs. It's rather nice to see her in her usually high spirits again; I hate seeing her any other way, really. "Do you… have any other games you want to play, or do you want to… head out anywhere? I don't have anything I need to do today since it went faster than usual with Uni and I, so. Not like I'm asking, though."

She smirks, toying with her hair as she leans back, staring out the window. "So, you want to head out with your only friend?" I glare daggers at her to which she chuckles. "I think we could do some quests or just go walk around. Anything works, today," she says, her smile falling slightly. Quickly debating something to suggest, I smirk confidently as I think of the simplest, safest answer possible.

"We could go visit some sweets places and sample what the cities have to offer."

Her eyes light up as if this concept was entirely new, and she jumps up, quickly dashing into her bedroom to change and prepare, I think, leaving me sitting here with a proud feeling surging through me. For some reason, this accomplishment rings truer than even receiving praise from the people of Lastation – it's just… _nice_. I habitually dust off my stockings and skirt before getting up, taking care to fix my appearance in case it somehow was mucked up while gaming as Neptune returns wearing her old-fashioned, too-large-for-her baggy hoodie and a pair of gym shorts with her usual stockings and big, girly shoes. I smile, somewhat pleased with her choice. "You always did look better in that outfit than the new one you were so obsessed with," I remark unconsciously, causing Neptune to blush gently before laughing.

"It's more comfortable now, anyway. But! I'm ready, coach. Where do you want to start?"

I ponder for a moment, weighing it out – Plutia and company are likely around Planeptune still, and dealing with Vert or Blanc doesn't sound too appealing at the moment, so… "Want to head to Lastation? We've got a lot of new confectionery stores establishing in our districts when they heard that the famous Purple Heart is a pudding and sweets enthusiast."

She nods, but quickly leans in and eyes me with a flirty look, causing me to blush somewhat as I catch her scent in my nose. Her hair smells nice, freshly cleaned – kind of like lavender, surprisingly. "Has someone been talking to the world about her best friend?" she teases, and I huff before turning away quickly, holding out a hand to her.

"Come on, I'll lead the way," I say as she giggles, latching onto my arm playfully before we leave the Basilicom, our destination being the food districts of Lastation. "Now, would you quit doing that," I huff out, mumbling the last bit, "people will think we're dating."

"What was that?" she asks, leaning in closer, her body still firmly squished against my right arm. "It sounds like someone's embarrassed," she teases, and I sigh in mock frustration. I can't be mad at her, really; she's nice and warm and smells nice, though I'm… probably not supposed to think of my best friend like that. Regardless, we successfully board the transport moving between the two nations and quickly arrive in Lastation. "Wow, you really updated how fast everything moves," she remarks, impressed by the increased speeds and newer, sleek designs of everything.

"Well, yeah. I wanted to be able to visit Planeptune easier," I say casually, willing myself not to sound embarrassed. Feeling compelled to make it less obvious, I also quickly follow up with, "And the same went for Uni and the citizens. We share good relations between our nations, and our sisters are really close, so I figured it'd be for the best." I'm guessing Histoire or Nepgear signed off on approving the construction on Planeptune's side, though.

"Do we have these for Lowee and Leanbox, too?" I shake my head and she grins. "So you prioritized, huh?"

"S-shut up, it wasn't… just… for you," I retort, feeling somewhat shy. "It was a smart decision for the benefit of both nations, so I went ahead and did it. Blanc and Vert aren't as easygoing and would see some weird political ploy out of it."

She chuckles, nodding. "That's true, that's true. And plus, they aren't the benevolent and beautiful main character, right?"

I shake my free hand at her, waving her comment away. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," I say with my lips curled subtly upward. We weave through the crowds with moderate ease, my body nearly on autopilot – kind of easy, having walked all of these streets multiple times a day in making rounds and inspecting properties, after all. I turn my head somewhat as we walk, keeping my eyes forward but still showing Neptune I'm speaking to her. "Any idea what kind of food you want first?"

"Anything, as long as it isn't a plump Dogoo snack again," she says with a somewhat disgusted tone.

"We wouldn't serve something so bland and boring," I respond with pride, knowing that all of our pastries, cookies and pudding stores should definitely liven her mood. "We could visit one of our multiple pudding stores, if you…"

"Where, where is this heaven?!" she shouts, cutting me off as she takes the lead, dragging me around in search of such a place. I don't even bother to oppose or resist her, knowing that somehow she beats me in raw strength, being extremely determined in her investigation.

Time passes lazily by as she explores our food court with more vigor than a little kid, this bright and satisfied expression plastered on her face as we sit and sample everything. The vendors are kind, seemingly feeling accomplished when they deduce who I must have brought to the food court, and all-in-all, while I've ended up paying a bit of my own personal spending pool, the experience is definitely worth it.

I think it's been a couple of hours, now, as we plop down on a small bench, watching people pass us by. As if she pregnant with food, Neptune pats her stomach while sighing joyfully, and I smile warmly while watching her. Though, I did notice, our arms are still…

"Hey, Neptune and Noire!" I hear a familiar voice call out to us, and I notice two people instead of one. As if we had semi-doppelgangers, Nepgear and Uni skip toward us, smiling. I forgot they might be out around here; Uni drags Nepgear around Lastation now as a helper so that she can 'do her job and still hang out together'. I made a big show of being reluctant to agree, though I hope she realizes I really didn't mind in the slightest. "What're… _whoa, it's my sister!_ " she remarks in shock, her body tensing up slightly. I cock my head; did she think I was the other Noire…?

"Uh, hi, Uni. You can relax; Neptune and I are out taking a day off, too. And, hi, Nepgear," I say awkwardly, not entirely sure how to talk normally. Note to self; Uni and I need a heart-to-heart. She nods, easing her posture.

"Hiya, Nep Jr. and Uni! We just finished embarking on a quest to savor the greatest cuisine in the world," Neptune says with this proud, wise expression, crossing her arms and nodding. "What're you two up to? Did you go on a date?" she winks, both girls getting more flustered than I ever have, and I raise an eyebrow, wondering if it's entirely true.

"I… I-I, no!" Uni shouts, vehemently trying to wave away the idea. "W-we were just out… um… uh…"

Nepgear, somewhat sad-seeming and quiet, answers for her with a steadier voice. "We were out inspecting Lastation and trying to figure out ways to advance Planeptune and Lastation and better the already great relationship we have."

I find myself sympathetic and smirking, some of Neptune's mischief rubbing off on me as my mouth moves on its own. "You could always better your relationship with a kiss," I say, and immediately, all hell breaks loose.

Neptune's face flushes before she laughs, supporting the idea as both sisters mirror a pair of scarlet tomatoes, their heads falling along with their jaws. I can literally see the steam pouring out through their ears. Swallowing the extreme embarrassment inside me for putting them in this position, I can only keep moving forward as I tilt my head with an innocent look. "Would that not show how close our nations are, and make both of your jobs easier? After all, with all that time spent together…" I'm sorry, girls.

Neptune pipes in proudly, finishing my sentence. "…You guys _ought_ to have bettered your relationship more than that, already, right?"

The pair exclaims a simultaneous, "WHAT?!" as Neptune and I look at each other knowingly, smiling. I allow Neptune to be the one to approach this topic finally, since her words are a bit more… emotional. "Well, real Noire and I have noticed how close you guys have been for quite a while, and honestly, we've both been impatient. Get on with it and show some good, sweet yuri, baby," she smirks, raising and lowering her eyebrows quickly. "You don't need to hide what isn't all that abnormal, really."

"Be true to your feelings," I say, trying to remain somewhat serious. I smile, nodding to the teenage CPU candidates with warmth. "You two have more than enough of our approvals, and Lastation and Planeptune don't ban gay love – nor do any of the nations, if I recall, really – and it's more than obvious. Women's intuition," I say, grinning confidently.

Silence for a few moments passes by before Uni clears her throat, the redness not leaving her face whatsoever. "…A-anyway! We were actually, um, looking for gifts to cheer you both up."

"…Eh?" and "…Huh?"

Nepgear shifts awkwardly, her eyes meeting Neptune's. "We noticed you've both been kind of upset and we were worried. We met and decided to go look for something to make you happy."

I blink, not expecting this. I smile awkwardly now, tilting my head. "You… do realize that that wasn't necessary, right?" Their heads rise questioningly, and Neptune finally speaks.

"Ignoring the denial of all things yuri, _which I still know needs to happen, mind you, for the fans!_ " I smack her arm gently and she coughs, removing her silly expression, "I think… I just needed to hang out with my best friend here, and real Noire sensed it, too."

"Obviously. You've been extremely depressed whenever I'm not around, so I compelled myself to brighten your day," I say with a wink, earning a chuckle from Neptune and blank expressions from our sisters. "You two didn't need to worry, honestly. Focus on yourselves, or come pull the four of us together and let's go and hang out more, okay? It's not like m…," I cut myself off, huffing away the excuses this time. "…I'd like to spend more time with my friends and sibling, really."

Neptune's eyes widen expectedly, "HOLY CRAP, NOIRE'S BEATING HER TSUNDEREISM."

"Shut up," I glare, Uni and Nepgear's expressions finally softening into smiles. "Now, then. Do you guys want to join us while we go explore the town, now?"

They turn, looking at one another before shaking their heads, and I notice their hands link as they bow. "I think we'll take this time to enjoy the rest of our date," they say before running off hurriedly, leaving Neptune and I with blank expressions.

I'm the first to react, coughing as I cross my arms and pout. "It took them long enough. Isn't that right, Nep…," I trail off, seeing her blushing slightly, and I notice she moved a little closer, "…tune?"

"H-hey, Noire," she starts, hesitating. I gulp, staring at her in wonder. "I… maybe it's time I stopped being patient, too. I… wanted to say something to finally clear the air." Another gulp. If this is what I think it is… "I've… been doing a lot of thinking lately, after the dimensions connected. Watching the other dimension's you and Plutie always being so close, reminded me. It reminded me of something I missed, something that made me feel incomplete."

"…Nep… Neptune…?"

She takes a deep breath, steeling her nerves as she smiles that proud, goofy Neptune smile – and I know the mood is about to take a drastic turn, but somehow, it seems better this way – as she leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine. "I want you to uphold the beautiful law of yuri with me, as my best friend and more."

I sigh in mock frustration, before leaning forward, softly pressing my lips to hers as I hug her close. All at once, my world feels more than whole; it feels _right_ , and the warmth of her body and the delightful scent of her hair makes it all the more desirable as she yelps into my mouth, submitting now even faster to the kiss. Slowly but surely, her awkwardness fades as she gives in, returning it while sliding her hands up to hold my face, cupping my cheeks while our mouths dance in a heated battle of their own.

I don't know how much time passed from when we started, but when we finally break the endless kiss to stare at one another, I smirk and pat her head once in scolding before I correct her knowingly.

"I love you too, Neptune," I say, and we both smile in embarrassment as I chuckle, her eyebrows rising in wonder. I lean in for another kiss, but not before finishing my thought as we meld together once more. "The older sisters have to lead by example, right?"

She smirks, returning my affection once again. "Aw yeah, baby. There are no breaks on this yuri ship."

* * *

 **Aw, yeah. Ship it, love it, preach it.**

 **A little rushed at the end, but I'm terrible at conclusions. If I didn't do it that way, it'd of been endless. And full of drama, love-triangles, misunderstandings, and misconceptions. It'd be a separate story. A singular story. Yeah. That.**


	6. One-shot 6!

**I think the shortest one-shot of them all, but nonetheless, fun to write and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.**

 **All things Hyperdimension Neptunia are owned and licensed by their official companies, and I in no way own anything regarding this amazing series and only wished to spread my adoration for it through non-profit fan-fictions. Please support the official release and keep these game series and animes and yuri goodness coming. And if the owners of this series find these, please give us more of what we want? :D**

 **Synopsis: Okay, MAYBE Neptune has a problem. Maybe she doesn't. Who knows, who cares. As she sneaks into Noire's bedroom at night, she reflects on things and the woman she has a slight obsession for. Yuri. Goodness.**

* * *

You know, perhaps what I'm doing is illegal or immoral.

No, not like that – it _isn't that bad_ – I'm just… curiously following Noire around, wondering what she's up to. Curious enough to wonder what she looks like when she's sleeping, and how comfy she is when I'm cuddled up to her. It isn't _that_ abnormal, I wouldn't think; her hair smells delightful and her skin is really, really soft. It's comfortable, this whole big spoon, little spoon thing. Though, I can't say she'd approve or not – she's asleep, after all.

I don't really know when I started this bad habit, or why – she's just so fun to tease and makes such cute faces when she gets flustered, I couldn't help but be more interested in what she's like. I mean, yeah, I should be working on Planeptune with Histoire to keep up with everyone else, but now that we decidedly, on my behalf and ushering, declared a peace treaty and began working on repairing relationships between nations, it isn't _that_ important. Histy can wait; I like my Noirepillow.

Even after we defeated Arfoire and I saved her, ensuring an 'everyone wins' ending, life still stays busy. Since Histy won't get off my back about the work piling up, this is my only real time to be comfortable, and since Noire's so tsundere all the time, asking her officially would end really poorly. I snuggle into her more, burying my face in her hair as I gently drag a finger down her neck, smiling. She shivers even in her sleep, making cute sounds with those short, quiet breaths, and she tends to be such a heavy sleeper, I get to enjoy her warmth and softness plenty.

She yawns suddenly, shifting her form into mine a bit more comfortably while cuddling a small Neptune doll to her abdomen.

I think that's where all this started; stumbling upon that dopey little doll in her room while she was out. Handstitched and created by herself, I later discovered on a seriously innocent investigation as she went to bed with it each night, holding it tightly. Turns out, she actually has a really cute side, and it's _obsessed_ with me. I'd never tease her for it since she'd take it really badly, so instead…

…I just use it to my advantage, since I can say out of anyone in Gamindustri… she's really the only one I have any interest in. I think I mentioned that somewhere along our adventure, but I don't remember.

"Nn… Neptune…," she mumbles, and I kiss the back of her head softly, smiling.

Time passes with her as my pillow, and I eventually notice the sun beginning to rise from one of her windows. Decidedly time to go, I extract myself reluctantly from her bed as stealthily as I can, standing over her for a few minutes. "…I'll be back again tonight, my Noire," I whisper musically, before turning to slip out of the Basilicom to quickly return home before anyone notices my absence.

x

"…I hope so, Neptune." Noire smiles to herself, her cheeks softly dusted crimson as she brushes her hands over each spot her soulmate touched, admittedly enthralled in it. She giggles quietly, snuggling the Neptune doll as she mumbles into the back of its head. "Tonight… tonight, I'll tell her."

* * *

 **SURPRISE. TWIST. A VERY TINY THIRD-PERSON SHIFT RIGHT AT THE END.**

 **AND PEOPLE THOUGHT I'D GIVEN UP ON THIRD PERSON.**


	7. One-shot 7!

**Here we are, once again! Another chapter update! Can't deny it, can't pretend; this ship's the best one. Yuri up, deep INSIIIIIIDE, behind the Nep-Noire ship-priiide! Now, with a slightly steamy, more mature twist! Like,** ** _DAMN_** **son, Purple Heart is definitely not entirely the regular character, but since there are a ton of dimensions and possibilities - why not? And** ** _YES, IT IS DEFINITELY NEPTUNE. IT ISN'T SECRETLY PLUTIA._**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its characters, its content, nor anything about it; I simply wrote a non-profit story to support such an amazing series. All rights owned and licensed by their respective companies, such as Compile Heart and NIS America, and others. Please support the official release for further installments and further yuri goodness.**

 **Synopsis: the four Goddess are at war, of course, with three against one. However, with cleverness from Purple Heart, two are easily defeated. All that's left is...! Whoa, Purple Heart, what** ** _are_** **you doing? :D**

* * *

"Die, you bitch!" White Heart shouts, swinging her axe-like hammer angrily at Purple Heart, who swiftly dodges it, kicking the short, petite CPU to the side as she blocks a spear thrust from Green Heart. White Heart spits angrily, rubbing her back as she jumps to her feet, preparing to re-engage.

"Hmph, how long can you keep this up, Purple Heart?!" Green Heart grits her teeth as Purple Heart parries each thrust, smirking with smug, arrogant satisfaction. "Why won't you be a good little girl and just _die_ for us, already?!" Her violet-haired opponent scoffs, knocking the spear from Green Heart's hands before knocking her out of the way with the side of her blade. Green Heart yelps in surprise, tumbling into White Heart as the two bicker loudly about whose fault it was, Purple Heart grinning the entire time.

"I've been growing steadily stronger, and I refuse to lose to either of you. Now, then. Where is sweet, little…," she trails off, narrowly dodging an extremely well-placed slice from a vicious blade. She smirks, looking at the iconic, flowing white-silver hair and emerald eyes of Black Heart, the last CPU of the four. The two stare at one another for a few minutes, as though an unspoken conversation runs between them before Purple Heart rises to meet her opponent, brandishing her katana proudly as Black Heart does the same. "I've been waiting for you, Black Heart. You took your time, didn't you?"

Black Heart scoffs, a frown upon her lips. "I was wondering where the three of you ran to, and had to spend my time searching. I had pegged Green Heart and White Heart for fools before, but attempting to battle you in one-on-one scenarios, or even a two-on-one scenario, is absolute stupidity." The bickering duo stops, turning their insults toward Black Heart, who ignores them entirely. "Even after we all agreed to focus on one of the four of us, we're still not keeping up with you. It grows irritating that you won't just give in and surrender, Purple Heart."

The twin-tailed goddess laughs, shrugging. "I'm not one to lose to weaklings. You're the only one with some talent, and even then – there's still a boundary between us. For the sake of Planeptune, I will not lose."

Tension fills the air as all four CPUs prepare to re-engage in battle, Green Heart and White Heart attempting to take a formation beside Black Heart, whom frowns at the development. Three-on-one is extremely unfair, but if it is for Purple Heart, it's unfortunately a necessity; a pitiful, pride-wounding necessity that Black Heart abhors with her entire being.

"Come, then. Even with these odds – I shall not fail," Purple Heart proclaims, readying her blade with a smirk. Black Heart senses an ill omen in this, but her partners do not as they quickly lurch forward at once, leaving Black Heart to haphazardly follow them. "As expected… let us end this day's battle… at _once_!" Tapping into her powers, she feels her movements become faster as she rushes forward, spinning the blade in her hand to the side, using it as a club as she quickly and efficiently bludgeons White Heart from behind, incapacitating her. Pivoting on her heel, she catches Green Heart by the throat, pushing her into the soil before placing a heel into her opponent's abdomen. Green Heart gasps and coughs before blacking out as Purple Heart hops off her body, turning to Black Heart with a dark smirk. "Now with those two out of the way…," she blocks an angry slash from the Lastation CPU before grabbing her by the throat. Black Heart coughs, wincing at the pressure as Purple Heart giggles, continuing, "…now, it's just you and I, Black Heart."

"Nngh, you bitch. Stop playing with us, for Goddesses' sake. You're annoying me," she attempts to spit on Purple Heart, but fails as the pressure on her throat tightens. "Aagh…" Purple Heart smiles, walking away from the other two CPUs before pressing Black Heart against one of Celestia's few trees.

Releasing her throat, Black Heart falls to her backside, coughing harshly as Purple Heart kneels down, smiling. Waiting for her foe to cease, Purple Heart grins darkly as she grabs each of Black Heart's wrists, pinning her to the bark. Black Heart exclaims in surprise, feeling somewhat fearful of what is to come as Purple Heart leans in, letting her slow, hot breaths dance along Black Heart's neck; she shivers as her skin dots with small goosebumps from the feeling, a small whimper escaping her lips.

"I'm not _playing_ with _them,_ I'm _enjoying you,_ " Purple Heart says warmly, kissing Black Heart softly on the lips – a yelp sounding in Black Heart's throat, her eyes wide with bewilderment. Purple Heart deepens the kiss, pressing her tongue into her rival's mouth, dominating her easily while maintaining her strength on keeping her prisoner pinned. "Mmh, Black Heart. Or… should I say, Noire? I do _so_ love how you taste. You smell delightful, too."

"Wh… wh-what are you… d-doing?!" she shouts, utterly confused and yet also aroused. What the hell is Purple Heart thinking?! "A-are you in your right mind?! What…!"

Another well-placed kiss quiets Lastation's CPU as Purple Heart smiles, nuzzling into her neck. "Simple; I'm showing affection for my favorite, special person. It's entirely normal – even goddesses can be in love, you know."

"L-love?!" Black Heart's eyes widen further, blush coating her face as Purple Heart repeatedly and powerfully kisses and snuggles into her as she futilely attempts to break free. Minute after minute passes, Black Heart's determination to escape fading as her mind and body slowly begin to accept and enjoy this sudden show of affection, with Purple Heart's determination only ever-increasing. "Wh… aah… what do… you mean…?"

Purple Heart smiles, a light dusting of red upon her face. "No matter what happens, I'm letting you know how I feel, my soulmate and sworn rival. Don't ever forget."

x

"…Yes, I don't think I'll ever forget," Noire mumbles to herself, blushing profusely while taking a moment to recompose herself. Even after they finally managed to subdue Purple Heart, here she is now with _Neptune_ , who (un)fortunately suffers from amnesia, working with her to save Lastation. She presses her hands to her chest, calming her rapidly beating heart as she sighs aloud, pouting. "She… doesn't remember, does she? Maybe… is this for the best? Or… is it my punishment?"

"What're you doing over there, Noire?" Neptune calls, her and her friends turning to stare at her with wondering expressions. "Is it really true then that people who have no friends like to talk to themselves constantly?"

"S-shut up! I have friends! I was… just fixing my skirt!" Noire shouts back, turning to hurry back. She sighs, at a loss. Maybe… maybe when all this is done, maybe Neptune will get her memory back…

"And then… maybe I'll find my happy ending."

"Did you say something?"

"No, you idiot. It was just the wind."


	8. One-shot 8!

**Because why not? Slight shift in personalities, showing a different side of future Noire towards the end of HDN Victory. I figured it was a nice change, since the original story's way of treating her didn't feel entirely satisfying. After all, a dominant tsundere is one hell of a nice, big yes.**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, nor its characters, nor content, nor anything about it; all rights are owned and licensed by their respective owners, such as Compile Heart and NIS America, and the other companies involved in making such an amazing series. Please support the official releases so that we may all indulge in further beauty.**

 **Synopsis: Pretty much the same as the top couple of sentences - moments before the final showdown with Rei Ryghts from the future, Neptune and co. bump into the Noire from her dimension, who has a decent bit to say.**

 **Onward!**

* * *

Working to open this barrier is utterly annoying!

Though, more than anything, I think the fact that I _lost in rock, paper, scissors_ and got stuck being the one to do this, is _more_ frustrating. Those two idiots hurried off to fight hordes and hordes of fake clones, beating the crap out of many, many versions of Neptune and themselves, leaving me by myself to handle this.

 _And where the hell is that braindead idiot?!_

It's been a few weeks and now that all hell breaks loose, now when we need her here, she's _nowhere_ to be found. I sigh aloud, gritting my teeth. It isn't even like we can't handle it – it'd just be easier with her around. I'm tired of waiting; I'd like to see her finally to give her a piece of my mind!

…It's kind of lonely.

Just as I start to gripe to myself about the current predicament, I hear voices off to my left, turning my attention to find – _what would you know, the person in question –_ Neptune and a horde of random girls, including my sister and Rom and Ram, approaching me with these strange looks of determination. My eyebrows rise as Neptune smiles, and I find a sense of completion surge through me.

"Hey, it's my Noire! Wait, does that mean this Noire's been fake all along?!" she says with a goofy expression, and I tilt my head in confusion.

"Noire's a phony?" some lavender-colored clump of hair airily calls out, her eyes wide and confused as she holds a small teddy bear to her chest. Judging by the bits and pieces I got from Histoire, that must be Planeptune's CPU from the other dimension. What was her name? Peasha? Plushie? Plutia? I think that last one was it.

"That joke's gotten _really_ old, you idiot. I told you not to call me that!" a voice that sounds like mine calls out, and I furrow my eyebrows. I didn't say that… _oh Goddesses, what…_ A version of me appears from the crowd, her arms crossed and hands tightly balled into fists as she stamps her foot in annoyance, her cheeks a gentle red. She looks exactly like me, except that _atrocious_ version of my outfit.

"Neptune…," I start, frowning, as Neptune turns to look at me questioningly, "…why did you bring a clone of me that talks to the final battle?"

The clone stamps her foot, shouting something at me and I glare at her, noticing she quickly surrenders. Is this supposed to be me from the other dimension? She seems more talk than anything. Hmph, I know which one of us is better, anyway. "So, you're… you're me," she mumbles, shifting awkwardly and uncomfortably.

I cross my arms, ignoring the barrier for a minute as I smile, approaching them. I bop Neptune on the head before turning to address her and my sister who smiles awkwardly at me. " _That_ , Neptune, is for being gone so long. Showing up right before the final battle is so cliché, you know." She attempts to protest, but I bop her head again before eying Uni and other-me with skepticism. "Now, Uni. I told you all to stay back and wait in case we failed, but here you are. And, _you_ must be the me from the other dimension. I hope you haven't been misrepresenting us all that badly," I scold before that Plutia girl expresses dissatisfaction at this. Why are people worrying so much about this girl's displeasure? "Sorry, I know you don't like me scolding your friends – I'm just very protective of the people of my world."

"Oh… That makes sense, but… can we be friends?" she smiles, her airy voice somewhat relaxing, actually, as I smile and nod. "Yayyyy…! I'm friends with both Noires, now…!"

A large explosion from above tells me that there's more going on, and I frown as everyone gets nervous. Patting Neptune on the shoulder, I smile at her. "Looks like Blanc and Vert need help. Go save their asses. Not like I need the help here, anyway."

She smiles, genuinely determined from my words. "Alright, guys! It's time for the main character to shine! Let's go save the world!" A collective cheer sounds as the group hurries off, with Neptune hanging back temporarily as she smiles shyly at me. "And… thank you, Noire. I'm glad to see you again," she says before quickly stepping forward to hug me, kissing my cheek gently.

I exclaim in surprise, my face flushing as she steps back, chuckling. I cross my arms, pouting. "I… there'll be time to talk after all of this. Go save the world and then come back to talk to me, okay? Don't forget about me here."

She nods, "We're best friends after all. You better prepare your butt for not being a loner ever again!" I open my mouth to respond, but she quickly pivots, running off after the group, leaving me by myself.

I slide a hand up, my fingers gently touching the spot where her lips touched, and I smile to myself. I'm glad.

Soon, I'll have my best friend back.


	9. One-shot 9! Take Nep!

**The latest and greatest installment in my semi-one-shot... series... thing... Yeah! Anyway! Sorry for the delay on this one, it started as a random thought late last night and I worked on it throughout the day, not knowing what direction it'd take. It was either going to be its own separate story or a semi-Noire and Neptune story, and I decided on the latter as I closed in on the last parts of the story. Sorry if you were hoping for more, but _those_ stories will come about at a different time, after I feel I've added enough short stories to this collection!**

 **I also am proud as it's _much_ longer than any of the others, with _I think _ the most accurate character depictions yet, with my newest attempt at being as detailed and yet as realistically character-based as possible. Now, for people expecting super mushy yuri goodness, I'm sorry. :( It's not exactly as pronounced as other one-shots in this collection, but I didn't think that was necessarily a _bad_ thing. If you read between the lines, you can find some nice hints and yet, surprisingly, also minor Noire x Uni hints if you're into reading deeper meanings than intended. ;) Still, if you _can't_ find some of those delicious Noire X Neptune subtle moments here, I either suck or you need to read a bit harder. Maybe we can raise our lily ranks! AHEM.**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its assets, characters, content or anything about it; all rights are owned and licensed by the respective companies involved in making this brilliant series - such as Compile Heart, NIS America, and the other important companies. Please support the official series for hopefully more sweet installments into one of the most amazing series I honestly can say I've stumbled upon. Maybe you'll love it as much as I do! :D**

 **Synopsis; Noire's been busy with a lot of work, trying to ensure Lastation doesn't fall behind in the pseudo-race between nations for the one with the most technology and support. After her newest breakthrough is interrupted by Neptune and her own sister, the trio decide to involve the party in exploring a new dungeon found by Neptune in Lowee's nation. What a twist! But, with Noire constantly complaining to herself about minor things, is this investigation going to go off without any problems?**

* * *

It's hot. Like, _really_ hot.

I wipe the sweat forming from my forehead as I sigh, blinking away the fatigue of many more than tolerable hours of work as I will myself to complete just a few more papers. Nearly, we're almost to a breakthrough with game-changing technology for Lastation. It's so close, I can almost feel the shares pouring into me from every direction, my populace celebrating a full year now of great successes and the joy of being the top nation of the four for just as long. I smile, picturing the tear-stained faces of Leanbox and Lowee, both befuddled at why they couldn't keep up with our manpower. I can just _taste_ the sweetness of victory. I can…!

I hear the sounds of frantic guards and light, happy skipping and whistling approaching my office, and my eyebrows rise instinctively – I _know_ who that is. Hurriedly, I slide the forms into a drawer in my desk as I look about for any possible problems or _distractions_ for her to divert to and mess up, knowingly preparing for a screeching halt in my day today.

"Noiiire, hey, Noiiire!" Neptune, the CPU of Planeptune, calls with that joyful tone as she barges into the room, the office doors banging against the walls as I wince. That was only _just_ recently repaired… "Hey! What're you doing just sitting there?"

I sigh, rising to my feet as I place a hand on my hip, staring at her. I can't help but smile very subtly, since she does this constantly and I seem to be the only target. "Hey, Neptune. I just finished some more paperwork for Lastation, so…"

"Borrrring! You need a break!" she shouts, beaming at me as she rushes over to close the distance, balancing on the balls of her feet. "After all, you _really_ need to get out sometimes. Like… whoa, your bags have bags!"

I pout, knowing I can't do anything about those. "You don't need to be so rude about it…"

She makes this awkward smile before nodding. "Okay, okay. Sorry, won't happen again. But you _definitely_ need a break now, then! Let's get some pudding and take a long nap!"

Rolling my eyes, I observe her skeptically. "What's the reason today? Did Histoire finally snap?"

She shakes her head, grinning. "Nope, actually! I got some work done and Nep Jr. said you were probably _really_ tired, since Uni…"

"I didn't say anything!" Uni calls out in embarrassment, hurrying forward to clap a hand over Neptune's mouth, bowing her head. "Hi, sis. I'm sorry that she came in unannounced, Nepgear seemed worried the last time she visited us."

I smirk, closing an eye while observing her, a sudden desire to tease her. "You mean yesterday? After the fourth visit?" She flushes, stammering while trying her hardest to deny it. I chuckle and wave a hand at her, agreeing, "Yeah, yeah, it's okay, Uni. I understand. You can relax." She nods slowly, seeming meek and tired herself, and I purse my lips for a moment. "Perhaps, we both _do_ need a break for a bit. Though, just eating pudding and taking a nap doesn't really sound all that fun. I could use some action."

Uni and Neptune both look up, their eyes widening. "You want to go grind?" Neptune asks, and I groan as she smirks.

"I'm not answering that. Don't make it sound so weird. Uni, do you want to go see if Nepgear wants to tag along, too? We, uh… haven't done much as a group, lately." As Uni nods vigorously before turning to dash off for Planeptune, I swat Neptune on the head as she's about to pipe in about my 'friendlessness', listening to her complain about how hard I hit her. I smile slightly, tilting my head and leaning as I look at her. "You'll live. Were you sure you wanted to come with us?"

"Yeah! You'd be lonely without me," she beams and I huff.

"It'd be nicer if you didn't always say it like that…," I pout, mumbling to myself. Quickly shifting gears, I lift my head and motion to her. "Come on, we'll go along to Planeptune to pick up Nepgear and Uni before heading out. Any idea where a good place to visit would be?"

She hums for a moment, a finger rising to her cheek while she looks up, deep in thought. What a weird way to ponder things. "Well… we could… hm." She proceeds to do this for a while as we walk, and I narrow my eyes in annoyance. Just as I'm about to shush her, she finally pipes back up. "Oh! We could go smash some baddies in that new volcano near Lowee. You wanna' do that?" I blink once, surprised. Wait, there's a volcano there?

"Uh… sure. We could also drop by to talk to Blanc and Rom and Ram, then."

"So _Vert's_ the absolute loner this time. What a twist!"

"Stop looking at me with those sympathetic eyes. It's rude. I'll tear them out, you know."

"Nooo, please. I need my eyes to add to my cuteness and beauty!"

"Even better reason to remove them."

Shortly after this exchange, we hop on the transport and find ourselves entering Planeptune's Basilicom. Surprisingly, the guards do not block our entry or refuse Neptune – and there's no sign of hesitation either. Did she actually complete some work? Unbelievable. I wonder if it's a Neptune from another dimension.

"Hey, Histy! Nep Jr.! We're baaack! I brought the girl, like you asked!" I roll my eyes again, feeling her stereotyping and referencing some group of people, as per her norm. Looking around, I notice how strewn her place actually is, and I feel a nagging sensation of wanting to tidy up – but I contain myself as Histoire floats from another room to greet us, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Uni and Nepgear chatting and laughing while facing away from us. I glance toward Neptune and smile for a moment, but opt for silence as Neptune addresses the strict tome of Gamindustri. "Hey, Histy! We're gonna' probably go visit Lowee and then head for that new volcano that popped up. Ms. Loner wanted to grind all day and night instead of napping and pudding. Can you believe that?!"

Histoire smiles, nodding her head to me – and I respectfully do the same, of course – before looking at Neptune with a frown. "She's far more responsible than you are, and it would be a good idea even if it wasn't for work; you will lose your levels if you sit around idly. Thank you, Noire, for taking her along with you."

I smile, somewhat embarrassed by the praise. "It's, uh, nothing, Histoire. I needed a break from paperwork and moving around sounds like a good idea. Neptune tagging along is just a convenient coincidence."

"The tsundere act, huh? You know you love me," Neptune smiles, leaning into the conversation again. Histoire and I both sigh but smile as well before Neptune pouts, shaking her hands. "And, Histy! That's not fair! I worked hard to be a high level! Why would we lose them?"

The little fairy-like girl frowns, seeming displeased. "I'm not entirely sure, myself. It was probably to ensure that everyone would continue to work hard so as to not become complacent. This has been a rule since before you four were born."

"Boo," Neptune responds before acknowledging our sisters again. She smirks evilly, sneaking over before pouncing on them, wrapping an arm around each one's shoulder as she supports herself on them. "Hey! Nep Jr. and Uni! How long are you going to sit and ignore us?"

Uni frowns, clearly disinterested in Neptune's disruption, while Nepgear apologizes for her tactlessness; I feel a pang of sympathy for the poor girl, wondering how she is actually, really, the younger sister of the two. I clear my throat, opting to proceed with the day before the conversation derails further. "Hey, girls. Shouldn't we be heading to Lowee while we talk?"

Uni raises her eyebrows quizzically. "Why are we visiting there first, sis?"

Neptune beams, hopping off of them before moving to the door. "We're visiting Blanc and her sisters, and then we're going to go level at the new volcano!"

Nepgear blinks, probably as surprised as I am. "There's a… new volcano in Lowee? I never heard of this. Did you?" I shake my head, shrugging. "Histoire…?"

She smiles awkwardly, as if revisiting an unpleasant memory. "The last time Neptune decided to shirk off from her duties as CPU, she went on a tour of the other three nations and stumbled across it. She and I discussed it upon her return – before being lectured profusely, of course – and I informed Blanc about it. It seems to be of moderate difficulty, and unexplored as far as real investigations go. There are actually requests from the Guild for the CPUs to handle it to the best of their abilities, actually."

I smile, knowing her hint will fall on deaf ears if I don't acknowledge it. "We'll go and take the responsibility on before we go delve into the dungeon, then. Hopefully we'll be the first, after all. Thanks for informing us, Histoire." She curtsies in response, pleased. "Now, let's get ready. Nepgear, Uni – come on. We don't have all day."

Both bow and apologize, joining us promptly. Bidding farewell to Histoire, we quickly check in with the guild and accept responsibility to handle the volcano, making way for Lowee. "You think Blanc'll be upset if we do this?" Neptune asks, tilting her head in wonder.

"Only if we don't tell her," I answer, smirking, "but if we don't, we could get a leg up on Leanbox and Lowee. I know she and Vert typically plan things like that behind our backs, too."

Nepgear frowns, unhappy about the idea. "But that would be wrong. Even if they do the same, we're supposed to all be close as nations, right?"

Neptune nods, folding her arms. "Yeah, don't be a party pooper, Noire. We're the cooler nations anyway and everyone knows it."

"Lastation is, though I don't know how the world feels about Planeptune…," Uni remarks quietly as both of the Planeptune sisters pounce on her statement. "But it's true!" she protests to them, and I laugh proudly.

"Spoken like a true CPU of Lastation. Good work, Uni. I think that's a sign for you two to step up your game, sometime," I defend her, my sister's cheeks flushing happily as she smiles. Perhaps I should praise her more often. Ignoring Neptune's jives about me being such a loner for Lastation's progress, I point toward the transport. "Let's just get on with it and go to Lowee, already. You're so loud."

"I'm just amazing and you all know it!"

X

We wind up in Lowee pretty promptly, the conversation being rather mild and pertaining to Neptune's fantasies about how the volcano will be full of dragons and knights and some other strange garble. I ended up tuning a lot of it out, instead focusing on the slightly newer, more modern-looking houses of the residents. It seems I _was_ right; Lowee is stepping up on their technology, and that means Leanbox is likely doing the same. Ugh, I need to get more people working on new advancements when we get back.

"Hey, Noire. Stop tuning us out!" Neptune protests, pinching my arm. I wince, turning to glare at her. "You're looking all serious and loner'y. If you keep that up, you won't have any fun today."

I sigh, unable to refute that. "Yeah, yeah. I don't need to hear that from you, though. I'm just… noticing that Lowee's made some advancement."

Uni's eyes narrow, a competitive expression taking hold. "Looks like we're not the only ones striving for being the best. I think we have to get more people working on the current projects, sis." I nod, smirking. Great minds think alike, it seems.

Nepgear frowns, sensing our competitive nature. "But, we're here to do a quest and talk to Rom, Ram and Miss Blanc. Shouldn't we try to be focused on that?" and shortly after this, I hear her mutter, "So we don't end up noticing Planeptune's lack of ingenuity…"

Deciding it'd be best to ignore it, I nod. "Alright, fine. We'll be cordial and friendly enough, but when we get home – Uni, we're going to ensure Lastation's technology will be years ahead of everyone else's. Understand?" She nods, making a sound of approval with a determined sparkle twinkling in her eyes. "Anyway, with that said and done – should we go ahead and visit the Basilicom to find Blanc, now?"

Neptune, who seemed to be entirely disinterested with our discussion, finally invests herself into it again with a happy nod. "Let's go, then! I bet Blanc's in need of some Neppy goodness!"

Without a single word of objection, we follow after her as she marches proudly on. Passing the guards, we greet them pleasantly enough and tell them we're meeting Blanc. They hastily make way for us, and I notice Uni and Nepgear subtly slip away to go find Rom and Ram, leaving Neptune and I to go and find Blanc.

"So, now that it's just us; do you think it's a good idea to bring our sisters?" I ask, Neptune gasping and making a fuss as she notices the lack of people around. "They aren't as close with Blanc as we are; they probably went to go find Rom and Ram. But, what do you think, Neptune?"

She pauses, staring at me. "I think it'll be fine. They can transform, too, after all. We'll just take the glory and beat the bigger ones before they get hurt, right?" I grin at this simple logic, nodding. "After all, big sisters have to set the example for their younger sisters," Neptune states proudly, puffing out her (kind of nonexistent) chest with pride. "I just hope that Blanc doesn't get all pissy-mad and workaholic'y like you do. We already have one super loner, we don't need more."

"Shut up, I have my reasons. I'm not even all that lonely."

"Yeah, because you have me, duh."

I grumble, setting off to find Blanc before the conversation devolves into more teasing. Neptune seems to understand, chuckling to herself at her victorious statement as we walk the halls leading to her office. Along the walls, I notice multiple new paintings and quotes from different books, with maids working around the clock to keep things clean and orderly. Maybe we should hire some for Lastation, even if we don't need them – Uni and I get the work done pretty efficiently, though I'm becoming painfully aware how tiring our schedules can be, lately. But, these paintings are nice, and a big improvement from how bland and empty the walls were when we first met Blanc after Neptune's amnesiac days. Slowly but surely, we've all become better people and had some positive personality improvements, definitely – even if there are moments where I feel that it could be just due to losing brain cells listening to Neptune's consistent dorky behavior. Maybe she's helped us all out a bit. Not that it's worth admitting aloud.

Arriving at the massive doors – totally not compensating for Blanc's shortness, by the way – leading to the main office of the CPU of Lowee, Neptune and I push them aside and enter, calling out respectfully. Neptune jogs ahead while I take my time, meandering over. As expected, I hear Blanc shouting at Neptune to be quiet and knock it off, watching Neptune blip here and there as she inspects Blanc's desk and computer screen. I notice in the corner a video chat with Vert, and my conclusions are accurate, it seems. Standing beside the large computer table, I bow respectfully, watching Vert do the same with her painfully obnoxious, intentional pronunciation of her endowment being enforced the entire time. Blanc bites her lip, standing to mimic us as Neptune hops in her chair, spinning out of the way.

"Would you _quit that shit?!_ " Blanc growls, Neptune laughing heartily as Vert and I smirk. "Sorry, Vert. We may have to pick up later," she says, attempting to recompose after having given up on Neptune.

"That is fine. I can make my way over if we're having a fun little gathering, then. Pardon me," she smiles courteously before the chat ends, and I sigh. If only I had a fellow nation to work with like that… well, maybe I can talk to Histoire about making some sort of progress between Lastation and Planeptune later. After all, _this_ one seems unreliable. I can see it now, teasing me about my loneliness and declaring a pudding alliance between us. Ugh.

Blanc, taking notice of me as she bows her head, returns to her monotone expression and quiet voice as the gears in her head begin to turn. "Hello, by the way. What brings you two here?"

I lean on my left foot, placing my hand comfortably on my hip as I watch Neptune who is off spinning herself silly. "Seems I have to answer. Sorry, by the way, about her." Blanc waves it away, her expression somewhat sympathetic. "We came to level at that new volcano that Neptune happened upon. We also have a formal request from the guild as CPUs to clear it out and ensure it's relatively safe for their agents to investigate. We came to ask if you wanted to join us, since we're in the neighborhood."

She raises an eyebrow, frowning. "You chose here specifically over work? Should I be suspicious?"

I shake my head, pursing my lips. "While I see I have competition from upgrades throughout your city, no. I decided to take a break at the request of Nepgear and Uni, and they sent Neptune to be the emissary. She decided on the volcano as she seems proud to have found it and it has a decent room for leveling and keeping us on our toes. She, uh, also hopes to find some sort of large dragon, as per her norm."

"Ah," her posture eases, and she shakes her head while closing her eyes. "I should've guessed. You'd never try anything with her following you around, anyway. Though," she pauses, her face growing serious, "if you're here, and so are your sisters… I don't see them, meaning…"

I sigh, offering her an apologetic expression. "I can't very well stop them without being the villain of our little group. They should be along with Rom and Ram shortly." She sighs now as well, looking somewhat tired. I extend a hand, patting her shoulder. "It'll be alright; we're all together and Neptune and I agreed that we as the national CPUs will be the forerunners and main attack unit so that we 'set the example' for our sisters. Sounds fair, right?"

She smiles slightly, nodding. "I suppose that works. I can't deprive them of time with their friends forever, after all. Now, then," her eyebrows furrow and she spins, now thoroughly annoyed at her chair being at the other end of the room now. She shouts, "Neptune, _GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE WITH MY CHAIR._ "

Neptune jumps, her eyes wide as disks. She pouts, sliding from the chair before wheeling it back, Blanc snatching it and returning it to its rightful place as soon as she can. "You don't need to be such a stickler, Blanc."

"If I wasn't, _you'd_ never stop being such a pain in the ass," she retorts immediately, grumbling to herself.

From behind, I hear the doors opening with a merry chatter resounding from the four sisters of the three nations – yet an amazing disappointment for Vert, but, who really cares? – as they arrive, each bowing and greeting us as respectfully as each of them can muster.

"I'm sorry for taking so long," Nepgear apologizes, seeming upset with herself. Uni adds in, seeming somewhat resolute in defending her, "We were busy catching up with one another and lost track of time, so…"

I wave a hand, as does Blanc. "It's fine," we both remark. Blanc nods, taking the time to catch them up. "I'm sure you're already aware, but we'll be visiting the new volcano on the outskirts of Lowee's landmass. Vert will be joining us, so your dallying isn't a big problem. Rom, Ram – you two will be with Nepgear and Uni, staying a bit behind us in case anything we encounter is dangerous. Leave any large monsters, dragons, or machinery to us – take care of the smaller stuff to lessen the danger."

They both agree reluctantly, the quartet seemingly disheartened knowing they're not joining us as the vanguard, but they couldn't expect us to not be protective older sisters. After a few moments discussing proper strategic protocol, we move to one of the many sitting chambers Blanc invested in to sit and pass the time while we wait for Vert. Settling into a plushy-yet-rigid pseudo-sofa chair, I gaze about the room with curiosity; large, towering shelves chock full of books of all kinds, and some manga as well, surprisingly. Blanc really loves literature, I guess. It seems like Nepgear noticed this, too, remarking about it as the two discuss multiple different works from various authors. I can't say I know most of them, but then again – I'm not really able to invest myself in books and games like the others do. Too much work to do to sit and play.

Uni is deeply invested in the conversation, focusing on Nepgear and apparently both Rom and Ram are, as well. It's kind of cute, really; the little sisters so heavily focused on their friends and older siblings. And then, there's Neptune… napping with drool pouring down from her mouth. That's kind of gross. Though, I feel my eyelids growing heavy too while watching her as I am viciously reminded of my multiple nights with next to, or no sleep at all. Maybe some rest won't hurt, right?

Just as I close my eyes and feel sleep nipping at me, the door opens as Vert announces her appearance, smirking with her usual aura of motherly, lording superiority as if just because of her figure that she is better than we. Neptune snaps awake, hopping to her feet as if a drill went off, Blanc glaring at the sudden burst of noise while all of the sisters gather together, chatting amongst themselves. I wave pleasantly to Vert as I hoist myself from the chair, feeling the fatigue from earlier intensifying a little bit, but I guess I'll be fine.

"So, now that we're all here, can we get on with the actual assignment?" I ask, rubbing my eye in an attempt to wake up. I yawn, feeling a growing sense of boredom. "We're moving to clear out the volcano here, are we not?"

"Yes. Thank you for reminding everyone," Vert smiles as though she was not a part of the disruption. Blanc opens her mouth to respond, but closes it, thankfully, after taking a glance at me. Neptune just shrugs, making way for the door as the sisters nod to one another before turning to do the same. I get the feeling they're planning something, but I suppose that I can't object since I don't know what it is. "Let us make siege upon these new foes as a strong battalion, fresh from 4 Goddesses Online!"

"Could you not bring your strange gaming habits into this? It's kind of gross," Blanc responds coldly, smirking to herself. "It'd be much better to view this as a skirmish to demonstrate Lowee's strength in administering good relations between the nations."

"At least I don't write cliché books that are too embarrassing to see the light of day, small one," Vert responds firmly, and a figurative lightning bolt appears between the two.

"Ladies, ladies, please; it's just because I'm the main character and called you all to be my party that this is working out so well," Neptune smiles innocently, quickly shifting the argument from two to three people as banter flies back and forth. I sigh, planting a hand firmly to my forehead.

"Can you all quit it for maybe three minutes? Let's at least _get there_ before we start bickering like usual," I say flatly as Neptune whirls her head around to offer me a grin. "What is it, now, Neptune?"

"You wouldn't have it any other way, because you'd be lonely without us!"

Blanc and Vert nod in agreement. "That is true, she'd be talking to herself and working endlessly in Lastation, alone, until she collapses from exhaustion."

My cheeks flush and I stamp my foot. "Shut up! I don't need to hear that from you two, too! At least my habits are _normal_!"

"Gaming is a habit one must undergo if they are to understand their populace's desires," Vert smiles.

"Reading is a hobby fit for those wishing to expand their minds and repertoire of words to maneuver around their foes," Blanc adds, seemingly confident.

"Naps make sure you don't fall on your face and get eaten or molested by weirdos!" Neptune pipes in.

"And I see three idiots making excuses for their obsessive hobbies," I mutter, hearing the chuckling of four people behind us. "At least _some people_ are enjoying this stupid debate."

"You're all really good friends, actually," Nepgear smiles. "You only argue so much because you're really close to one another."

Uni seems to take this as a moment to involve herself in teasing Nepgear. "What, does that mean you want us to argue with you and harass you more?" she grins playfully, hugging Nepgear tight. Nepgear squeaks, trying to refute and revise what she said, but it looks like Rom and Ram join in on Uni's idea and the trio begin playfully heckling Nepgear.

After what feels like far too long of a time spent with people changing topics and having multiple conversations at once in a manner which I could only call the official 'Planeptune-style', we arrive on the outskirts of the cave leading to the inner areas of the volcano. Decidedly, we break by a small clearing outside it to prepare ourselves.

I watch Nepgear and Uni slip their traveling bags off their shoulders, rummaging through them as they take inventory – Blanc and Vert both doing the same as they check small satchels hidden in their clothing for their healing items. I frown, sliding a hand down to ensure that the pouch containing my medical gear is still strapped safely to my thigh – and knowing that it is, I decidedly nod in satisfaction. Rom and Ram seem to have cute little backpacks full of various concoctions and snacks as well, and then Neptune…

Neptune's just sitting there, stretching and humming.

"Do you have anything on you in case of emergency?" I ask her, and she spins her head around as if confused who I was asking. "I was asking _you_ , Neptune. Do you even have a place to carry anything?"

She frowns, shaking her head. "Never invested in it. You guys always carry stuff, anyway – this new jersey doesn't have deep enough pockets, anyway." Oh, right – that outfit wasn't her old one; some sort of thrown-together thanks to forcing Histoire to do shopping by herself. It's kind of a shame, too. That baggy hoodie looked cuter on her, anyway.

"Well, I'll make you a pouch that you can strap to your thigh or arm later, then. We can discuss it after this, alright?" I say, and her eyes sparkle with joy as if it's some huge deal. "It's not like it's that important – I'd just like to avoid you not being prepared if we get into dangerous fights in the future."

"You never do say what you mean, huh," Blanc interrupts, and I roll my eyes. I have _no_ idea what she means – I think my statement was pretty self-explanatory… yeah. "Well, that's fine either way. She does need one so she doesn't mooch off our supplies, anyway."

She pouts as Nepgear smiles sheepishly, attempting to intervene. "It's… it's okay, don't worry. I always carry enough for two people."

Neptune pivots on her heel, tackling and hugging Nepgear. "That's my sister! Always prepared enough for both of us!"

"That's not really something to be happy about, you dolt," I grumble, but it appears to not have been heard. "Well, whatever. Are we ready to do this, finally?"

After what can only be described as a long list of varied agreeing responses, the party assembles and we set off for the cave's interior with Neptune and I at the forefront, Vert at the back, and Blanc in the center whilst Rom and Ram stand by Vert, Uni by Blanc, and Nepgear by us. Rather strange formation, but it seems efficient as we run into a swarm of colorful Hyena variations led by multiple Fenrirs.

I click my tongue in annoyance, materializing my blade as Neptune and Nepgear do the same, Vert and Blanc taking to the sides to fend off the yipping hordes of regular enemies. Dodging swipes from multiple directions, I manage to nick the side of one of the Fenrirs with a haphazard swipe. Ducking as a Hyena leaps for my throat, I watch it collide with another and the two roll off out of the way. The Fenrir howls loudly, causing my body to tremble as a bullet collides with its jaw, knocking it off balance. Taking this moment of opportunity as best I can, I kick off the floor and lurch forward, plunging my blade into the large dog's skull – the creature shattering into hundreds of pieces as I land with ease.

Ahead of me, I watch Neptune activate one of her skills, rushing forward rapidly whilst accurately slashing apart multiple Hyenas, Nepgear following her sister's lead with a beam-like shockwave to finish them off. Blanc smashes a trio of Hyenas into oblivion as Vert skewers another two with Rom and Ram casting support magic to whomever they can. I smirk, somewhat pleased with how the battle's going as I quickly roll away from a pouncing Fenrir. Hopping back to my feet, I plunge my blade through the form of another Hyena, watching it dematerialize as I spin, dashing apart another with ease.

"Noire, behind you! Fenrir!" Neptune calls, and I huff, hopping to the side to avoid what would have been a few hundred pounds of vicious, murderous fluff pouncing on top of me. As my feet hit the stone floor, I step back toward the large canine, activating one of my skills as I slash the beast twice before flipping, kicking it upward and then downward as it bursts into nothingness like the others. As I return to the ground, I watch the third Fenrir fly past me, slamming into another small group of Hyenas before colliding with a wall, all parties involved dissipating instantly. Thank _Goddesses_ Blanc doesn't use that hammer on us.

Turning, I watch as the last group of Hyenas are finished off effortlessly by Neptune and Nepgear, the poor dogs having no chance whatsoever as the duo slices them into ribbons. The battle finishes, leaving each of us to feel the comfortable surge of experience flowing into our bodies. I stretch, letting my blade dematerialize as I yawn pleasantly, shifting my shoulders. What an excellent warm-up.

"Good work, guys!" Neptune chirps, beaming with pride. "We just _started_ with a ton of ass-kicking!"

"That went better than expected," Blanc adds, nodding. "Rom, Ram, are either of you hurt?" They shake their heads and a look of pleased relief remains on her face. "That's good. Really good."

I smile, walking over to Uni before patting her on her head. She looks over, eying me curiously. "Good work, you helped keep that dog from making a snack out of me. I appreciate it, Uni." Her face flushes and I hug her gently before looking over to Vert, who is ahead a small distance, looking deeper into the cave. "Is there anything over there?"

"No, not that I am able to see. It's seemingly clear for a short time, though I can hear movement still. We'll have to be cautious."

"Caution is not a word that we normally use," Blanc remarks, Neptune nodding proudly as she steps forward, moving ahead. "That was not exactly a compliment, Neptune."

"Aw, whatever. I'll think of it as one!" she remarks, narrowing her eyes on the journey ahead. I step beside her, looking forward as well, though I can't really see too much. The air is also pretty cool, still – for the situation, at least. It's still awfully hot – and there is no illumination on the far side. "Probably deeper down, huh."

I nod. "Yeah. We'll be busy for a while, it seems."

Proceeding forward again, we slice down another wave of small Hyenas; their efforts to swarm us futile with so many weapons drawn upon them simultaneously, and I find it laughably easy as we cut a clean path of conquest through the cave. "These small monsters really are no match for eight of us," I laugh proudly, pleased with the results thus far.

"I still can't see anything, though," Blanc remarks bitterly, Vert agreeing with her observation with a frown. "The temperature in here is starting to rise by a degree or two, though. Maybe we'll find a path leading down?"

"And then, the dragon! Dovahkiin! Dovahkiin! Naal ok zin los vahriin!" Neptune shouts, all eyes blinking in bewilderment as she pauses, frowning. "Oh, right. Wrong game. Sorry about that."

"She's getting stranger," Blanc remarks to me as a passing comment, and I can only nod with a perplexed look set on my face. "Maybe you should hang out with her more. You seem to know how to babysit her better than we do, at least."

I frown, shaking my head. "I don't think there's anything I can do for her. Not like I like babysitting her, anyway." Mostly true, too; her weird quirks are sometimes _really_ hard to handle. Like bursting into song about a different language. Her tone was pretty good, though. Huh. "Well, should we keep going? I think we haven't had a single problem yet."

"Well, obviously. We came to rid Lowee of its newest problems, and that, we shall do." Vert vows, but follows her words with a teasing jab at Blanc. "Though, it's amazing that all of the real issues always begin in Lowee."

"At least we _have_ things happen, bitch."

"Ladies, ladies," Neptune quiets them both down before setting off again, and the sisters and I find ourselves all too happy to follow her as we leave Vert and Blanc behind, a small argument beginning between the two. "So, what do you think we'll find, Noire? I bet there's some legendary treasure here, or something."

"Probably something dumb like a sword with an old man's face on it or weirder; you never know what we find in Gamindustri, honestly." What a nasty thought, though.

"Ew. That's _really_ gross, sis," Uni remarks, making a mock gagging sound. "I hope we find some sort of rare ore or old technology. A new gun or a robot, or something." Out of nowhere, I _swear_ I feel Nepgear start getting really interested in this idea, with sparkles in her eyes and everything, but I don't hear anything, so I ignore it.

"Do… you think we should have left them back there?" Rom asks quietly.

"They're crazy strong. I'd be more worried about them knocking holes in the walls while fighting than monsters," Neptune remarks, her eyes widening to the size of disks as if she sees a nightmare before her eyes.

"…This tunnel's stable, right?" I ask, mainly to myself – no one else knows the answer, either, I guess by the silence. "…Whatever! Let's just finish this then and move onto other things," I say, and collectively, our pace increases a little bit.

After a few more minutes of walking, I notice Blanc and Vert somehow rejoin us and I also feel the temperature of our surroundings raising rapidly, our elevation decreasing as we descend down a stony formation. I tug at my collar, wiping my forehead again as I wince. Why is it so damn hot?

"…You okay, Noire?" Neptune asks, looking at me with a worried expression.

"Why… wouldn't I be…?" I grumble, glaring at her. "I'm perfectly fine. It's just so damn hot."

I see a few of the party exchange weird looks, and I find myself confused. Is no one else feeling this? It _can't_ be part of my imagination. It seriously can't.

"…Maybe we should take a break or come back later," Nepgear suggests, frowning, as Uni steps forward to tug on my arm as if agreeing with her. "You're not looking so good, Miss Noire."

I stare at them in confusion, getting irritated. "What the hell are you girls talking about? It's just a bit hot. I'm… fine…!" Whoa, my vision's… getting a little hazy. Okay, that's… kind of… weird…

The last things I remember as I feel my body collapse are Neptune and Uni simultaneously shouting in alarm.

X

Waking up, I _swear_ I'm on fire. My head's pounding, and I feel really, really weak. Just what the hell happened? I wince, my body opposing any movement whatsoever as I force myself up into a sitting position, looking about my surroundings. Surprisingly, I'm back in my bed and covered comfortably. At my side, I feel my cheeks flush as I find both Uni and Neptune sleeping beside one another on my legs. What the hell are they doing that for? Did I just pass out in the cave, or something?

The movement of sitting up seems to stir Uni, who lifts her head tiredly, blinking for a few moments as her senses return to her. Her eyes widen as she stares at me, wetness forming around them as the happiest expression I've ever seen her make takes form on her face. "Sister!" she squeals, hugging me tightly to her, her hands digging into my clothes. I instinctively pat her back and shoulder, trying to silently communicate she's smothering me, and she seems to understand as her hold slackens a bit, but she doesn't move much. I sigh into her stomach, closing my eyes. Did I worry her that much? "I'm so glad you're okay…! You weren't… waking up…," she chokes out, her words becoming disrupted by sniffles as her nails continue to tightly poke my back.

"I'm… not sure what you mean, Uni. I just passed out," I say, confused.

She leans back, her expression a little angrier now. "No… you _didn't_! You collapsed… with a fever from… overworking yourself and slept… You slept for days, now! I was worried… that…"

"I've been… asleep for days?" She nods, embracing me again as I inwardly sigh. I should have probably expected something from how hot it was before and how tired I was getting up from that chair. Presumably, I also expect the final push was probably the increased temperatures from the volcano. I wrap my arms around Uni, returning her hug as I smile softly. "I'm sorry, Uni. I didn't know. I'll be more careful from now on, okay?"

She sobs quietly, nodding. "You… you _better_! Stupid older sister…" I laugh, leaning back as I wince, both gestures making me feel really, really poor. Uni frowns, standing as she recomposes herself before clearing her throat as best she can, her cheeks and eyes red and damp. "I'll… I'll go see if I can… get Compa or Nepgear. Stay put and rest… okay?"

"…Yeah, I promise." I say, my voice feeling kind of hoarse and scratchy now. Goddesses, this sucks. And all the work that's piling up, too.

She pauses for a moment at the doorway, turning to stare at me with penetrating eyes. Her expression is almost a little disconcerting, and kind of… possessive. I've not seen Uni like that before. Kind of creepy… "Also, don't sit and worry… about the work. I've had some help… keeping up with it." Her eyes shift to the sleeping Neptune, and I cock an eyebrow as she shakes her head, disappearing.

Wait, did _this_ sleepy… No, she couldn't have…?

"Nnn… Noire…," she mumbles, smiling as drool pours from her mouth. Her head rests on my thigh, and I smile slightly at the sight, stretching a hand out to comb her hair gently. She shifts, seemingly happy with the gesture. "…So warm…"

I find myself somewhat entranced, listening to my stupid best friend's soft snoring and mumbling for who knows how long until Uni returns with some medicine, explaining how the others are busy trying to manage their own things and will be along later to check up on me. I smile, feeling some sort of sisterly jealousy from her, and I inwardly vow to spend more time bonding with her after this. And… probably the same with Neptune.

Maybe I can have a little more fun, after all.

* * *

 **Aaaand, done. I might someday come back and spruce up this ending a bit, or probably tie in another one-shot with it loosely in a later part of the collection for a better plot basis. After all; this idea was pretty neat and I think it started off really well!**

 **NEVER FORGET; IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE. TAKE NEP, AND TAKE FREQUENT NEPS TO KEEP YOUR STRENGTH UP! (maybe this will lead to a much more, intimate, encounter between Noire and Neptune if I'm feeling some kind of way. I'll _definitely_ be profusely warning you all if such happens, so worry not! I will save your innocent eyes with many, many warnings! :D**

 **I am _not_ sure when or how long the next one will be, as I'm now writing these and posting them as I complete them, so expect a liiittle slower updates from now on, but expect more and stronger Neptunia stories from me in the future. :D This pairing fills me with determination!**

 **Bye for now, and never hesitate to review or tell me where to improve. :D All open for suggestions!**

oh yeah, i might also do some other pairings in a different one-shot collection, sometime. i hope people are aware that i do have other tastes besides this one, it's just this is definitely best ship.


	10. One-shot 10! Cellphones! Tiredness!

**Hello, friends! Welcome back for another quick update to the collection; this one's _definitely_ a bit more steamy and T+ than most of them. I'd recommend you be aware of that before reading to the end! Though, I liked this idea, a lot. I want to try it again when I'm not exhausted, and drag it out more and make it more sweet and give a better build-up, since I think the entire concept of Gamindustri developing state-of-the-art cellphones is an amusing idea in itself and the shipping ideas only increase further with this plot point. Expect better things, but for now - enjoy a short, kind of cute and silly one-shot as Noire and Neptune bond over Neptune's inability to use a cellphone!**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, nor its content, characters, nor assets. All things about this awesome series are owned and licensed by Compile Heart, NIS America, and other awesome companies responsible for bringing us such a great series. Please support them for more installments to our favorite pudding-obsessed adventures! :D**

 **Synopsis: Neptune, dying from boredom of house arrest, discovers an electronic gift left by Noire. Hilarity ensues, and thanks to the cluelessness of the Planeptune CPU, so does a sudden confession that ends up being far more than the purple-haired dork expected for a bored day by herself. It cuts off before becoming anything more than slightly suggestive, mildly sexual themes. I swear! This one does not become smut! ...Well, _this_ one. Future ideas might, however. BUT ANYWAY. YOU WERE WARNED AND ADVISED!**

* * *

Bored. Bored, bored, bored. Really, really, _really_ , bored. Literally, if there were a hundred floors of boredom, I could construct and fill each room with enough boredom to make the tower explode out of boredom. Which would lighten the boredom for a minute, but then I'd be bored again.

I pout, balancing the controller on my fingertip as I stare at it unhappily. Today is just so… _boring!_ It's not fair that Histy took Nep Jr. out with the other CPU candidates to do whatever they had to do, especially since she forbid me from leaving the Basilicom today. I _know_ I need to get work done, but that's just so… _boring!_

Maybe I'll go ahead and do it anyway. It's better than nothing, at least… or maybe, I'll take a nap. But I can do that anytime. Ugh, it's so quiet and lonely. Why is it so quiet?! "UWAAAA! I can't take it anymore!" I shout, hopping to my feet, pacing to the door… but stopping dead in my tracks at the blatant **WARNING** threat posted on the door. Even from here, I can make out the skull and crossbones and many angry Histy emotes surrounding a long wall of text. It wouldn't fit in _any_ kind of chatbox, that many words… Scary.

My shoulders slump in defeat as I slink back to my beanbag chair, flopping in it as I sigh. Maybe I'll nap after all… _BZT, BZT, BZT. BZT, BZT, BZT._ Wait, what's that sound? I lift my head tiredly, looking around my room in confusion. Is my brain frying like a toaster when you dump water on it while it's running?!

Oh, it's my cellphone. I forgot I had one of those. Wait, _when did I get a cellphone?!_

Oh, I think it was a gift from Noire. That sounds about right; Lastation and their new ideas. Really, really convenient… I think. What does a cellphone do, again? It clicks, a loud beeping sound following it as I hear Noire's voice crackle through its speakers, and my eyes widen in shock.

"Neptune, if you're even awake, you can answer this if you just open it and click that green phone button. It's not like we need to talk, but I figured I could test this phone out with someone, and you're the only one with one that I can call right now. Try it out sometime. Thanks, Noire." Silence. "…If you don't answer this in the next minute, I swear I'm going to…" I rush over, flipping open the screen as I press the button. I hold it to my face, unsure of what to do as I hear her sigh… in relief, I think. "Alright, thank Goddesses you know how to follow basic instructions. Um, anyway. Hi, Nept…"

"Noire, how the hell do I communicate through this thing?!"

"…Like that, you idiot. You just talk into it while holding that screen part to your ear."

"…Oh, that's really cool! I suddenly feel like I'm a really old guy calling his son for the first time, hearing about all that newfangled technology that people keep talking about."

"That's… kind of weird. Anyway, I'm glad this thing works. You should take it with you from now on, so we can talk to each other if anything happens, okay?" her voice says, and I raise my head to look around the room quizzically. "…Neptune? Are you there?"

"Wait a minute. Where are you talking from? I don't see you at all. Did you take ninja classes and hide in my ceiling?"

She sighs yet chuckles at the same time, and I find myself kind of satisfied with that reaction. "No, no. It's a device capable of letting us talk from long distances. I'm all the way over in Lastation still – those big towers that you approved to be built a few weeks ago transmit the signal between our phones, resulting in an instantaneous conversation like this."

"…You sold me at 'talk from long distances'. The rest of that really didn't stick. So I can talk to you from wherever?"

She mutters something before responding, "Only if you see those giant towers, but yes. Yes, we both can."

Utterly amazed by this new invention, I smile before plopping down in my beanbag chair. "Okay, then can I ask you something?"

"What?"

I muster the nicest, cutest voice I can before asking into the phone, "Can you come over and visit me, Noiiire? I'm under house arrest and reaaally bored."

Silence. Then some strange sounds that I can't really make out.

"…I guess I can visit for a while, though I really just need to keep you out of trouble until Histoire comes back, right…? And, wait… are you home alone, then?" she asks, her voice a little higher pitched. What even just happened over there?

"Uh, yeah! And, we can play games and hang out, then!" I respond cheerfully, nuzzling into the phone. This device is _really_ cool.

"…A-alright, I'll be over soon. Be ready and don't forget about me," she says, before I hear a sudden click and then silence. Wait, where'd she go? I click the green button again and hear this ringing noise before I hear her answer again, this time her voice huffed and normal. "W-what are you calling for, again?"

"Where'd you go? It got quiet?" I ask, honestly curious. "This thing's really weird, Noire."

She pauses a moment before I hear her laugh heartily, and my confusion deepens. "You're such an idiot; I can't believe you used to be my biggest rival. Okay, okay, I just hung up and ended the call. There's a battery life on these, and you have to plug them in and charge them now and then or they'll die. Usually, just sitting on a call and not talking's probably kind of weird, and wastes the battery, so I decided to hang up while I came over."

"But I don't like it being quiet," I say flatly, pouting. "I'm not good with being a super loner like you." She huffs, and I smile. "Can't you just bring your charger and we can talk while you come to Planeptune?"

She hesitates, making an annoyed sound. "Well, I guess we can, though I don't understand what the big deal is, honestly. It shouldn't be all that long. Are you feeling alright, today? Do I need to worry about catching some weird illness?"

I scratch my cheek, thinking a moment. "Not that I can think of. I'm totally healthy, just lonely after being stuck in this house with nothing to do. I guess you're pretty used to that though," I say without thinking before quickly cutting off her upset reply. "I, I uh, didn't mean it like that. It's just that this device is cool and I'm bored and lonely, so I'm looking forward to you visiting."

"…Well, I guess that makes sense. You keep saying it strangely though, you idiot. I'll get the wrong idea if you aren't careful."

Huh? "Wait, what do you mean? I don't understand," I say, blinking. Trying to think really hard about it, I don't even know what she's trying to say, and I'm usually _really_ good at understanding her real meanings behind stuff. Neptune speaks tsundere, didn't you know?

She pauses, going silent for a few moments before sighing. "Forget it, it's… nothing. Anyway, I'm on my way now, so I'll be there shortly."

"Okay, awesome! Should I go grab you a pudding for when you get here, or…?" I ask, turning to walk to the fridge. "Wait, do I need to worry about standing in one place?"

"No, it should be fine if you walk around. That's why these were made to be so compact and mobile, after all. And, sure. I'm a little hungry, anyway."

I nod, starting to understand this strange device. "Okay, gotcha'. Anything else that I should know, captain?" I cross my eyes in my usual goofy way, beaming.

"Ummm…" I hear her pause, tapping her finger against the phone as it makes a popping sound in my ear. "Well, you can also send text messages instead of calling each other, but that requires using the keyboard and knowing how to navigate the phone. I can show you that when I arrive. Other than that, just don't get it wet or drop it, and don't break it. That should be simple enough for even you, right?"

"Sounds really easy to understand!" I chirp, wiggling my spare arm in agreement. After a few more moments, I hear her walking through the Basilicom even without the phone, and I gasp. "Whoa, it really did record your voice from afar!"

"Uh, duh? I told you, it's a long distance thing. Anyway, I'm coming in and hanging up now," she grumbles, and I hear the pop as the door opens, her figure appearing as she slides her phone into the top of her sleeve. She bows, walking in after closing the door behind her, pausing to stare at the threat from Histy. "Oh, wow. You _really_ upset her, this time. Poor Histoire."

"More like, poor Nep! This punishment is unbearable!" I complain, opening the fridge to grab two pudding cups. Grabbing a pair of spoons from one of the drawers, I plop down in the beanbag chair as she sits in the other one. I hand her one of the cups and a spoon as I quickly begin feasting on mine until I notice her just staring at me. "…Hm? Whaaht?"

She blinks, shaking her head as if she was zoning out. "Oh, nothing. I was just distracted." She opens her pudding cup and slowly begins nibbling at it rather daintily, and I cock my head, observing her. "W-what? Do you have a problem?" she asks, and I shake my head. "I'm just not as ravenous as you are when it comes to pudding."

I shrug, returning to focus on my own as we eat in silence. She yawns once, and I spot a small glob on her cheek. Thinking nothing of it, I lean toward her and gently lick it off, but things don't turn out as simple as I plan, I realize, as she drops the cup and gasps, shivering at the gesture. I blink, completely unsure of what to say to this, though I feel a weird satisfaction in her reaction. "Um… you okay, Noire?"

"J-just… _what_ are you doing?!" she shouts, turning to stare at me with bright red cheeks matching her eyes. She clasps a hand to the cheek I licked, her eyes shaking. Did I make her that angry by doing that? I frown, opening my mouth to apologize.

"I'm, um, sorry, Noire. I just wanted to get the puddi…"

"You're… you're… an _idiot, Neptune!_ " she shouts, huffing aloud. She folds her arms, pouting while glaring at me with really deep intensity that I've really, never, ever seen before.

Feeling responsible for whatever caused her to be like this; my frown deepens as I bow my head, apologizing again. Maybe I can make it up to her somehow. "I'm really sorry, Noire. I didn't mean to upset you like that, and it won't happen again. You can, um, punish me, if you have to."

She freezes, staring at me with a really weird look. Maybe that wasn't a good idea to offer that. "You… you'll take responsibility for what you've done, then?" she mumbles, and I gulp before nodding. I'm so dead. "Fine, then close your eyes and sit there."

I'm. So. Dead.

I close my eyes reluctantly, trying to let my ears be my salvation if she tries to cut off my head or stuff eggplants in my mouth or throw out all of my pudding or just decides to leave me here or…

I'm being pushed down, and I hear her breathing slowly and harshly. "Don't you dare open your eyes until I tell you to." I gulp, nodding obediently. I hear her breathing growing louder, her hands digging into my shoulders with a ton of force. Even if I wanted to escape now, I can't. Though, it doesn't feel like I'll die, so maybe I had this entire thing misunderstood. "You always tease me and say such stupid things, and you never think anything of it. You're such a stupid idiot. It's not fair."

"I'm… I'm sorry, Noire. I'll be more caref…! Fuff…! Mmh?!" My eyes shoot open as I feel soft, supple warmth press against my mouth, cutting me off, and it's only _just now_ that I realize what exactly we're talking about here. Her lips are… really, really warm, and they feel really nice pressed against mine, as her tongue flicks gently over my mouth while her fingers sink into my hair, firmly wrapping around my scalp. Her cheeks are beyond scarlet now, and I can definitely tell mine are too, and my body keeps making these really… really… nice reactions for every moment she keeps kissing me. I cautiously raise my hands, my body yearning to feel more of her soft, warm skin.

She leans back just barely, staring at me with a look I've _never_ seen Noire make, and it's just so damn cute I don't think I'll ever forget it as she breathes raggedly, shivering. "You're such an idiot, Neptune. Why don't you understand how you make me feel…?" Tears begin welling in her eyes, and instantly my heart acts, and I sit up, embracing her. Sliding a hand up along her back, I hold her head against mine while the other rubs her back comfortingly, and I listen to her gently sob into my hoodie. "Stupid, stupid Neptune. You're such an idiot…!"

"I'm… I'm sorry, Noire. I… really am kind of oblivious, huh?" I say, trying to smile in the same usual goofy way, feeling Noire's fingertips digging into my back as she hugs me tighter. "Though… I don't think I'll be forgetting or misunderstanding now, at least," I laugh awkwardly, looking over at my phone. "Was… this what you meant, while we were…?"

"Yeah, you jerk. You don't just flirt and tell people you miss them and are lonely and not expect them to feel a certain way. It's not fair at all to who you do it to, especially if they care about you a hell of a lot. I know I… I definitely don't…" she hiccups, sniffling again.

I pat her head, smiling. "Yeah, yeah, I got it now, you goofy tsundere. You could've just tried to tell me sooner."

"There was never a good time. You always seemed to just be kidding!" she shouts, smacking the back of my head angrily. I wince, unable to really disagree with her. "You always just look like you're kidding with me and don't mean anything. It's… it's not fair…"

I raise my hands, grabbing each side of her head as I move it, making her stare deeply into my eyes. I smile in my normally goofy way, nodding as I lean in to return her affection, vowing.

"I said I'll take responsibility. I won't mean nothing by it from now on, okay?"

She makes a sound of annoyed yet happy approval, and we collapse onto the beanbags. My mind goes blank and I think hers does too, some weird, deep inner emotions taking control of both of us.

Note to self; use cellphone more often. Learn how to talk to Noire, a lot more. Maybe visit Lastation for more _diplomatic_ talks. Bring pudding… and spare clothes, apparently.

Rest in peace, boredom.

* * *

 **I know I have a problem, and that I need to make these stories a lot more detailed in the future, though I _just can't friggin' help but want to keep adding new ideas onto the pile, like oh my goddesses don't judge me man, it's not a phase, it's an obsession._**

 **I swear that these one-shots are far from done, and they are far from perfected. They'll only improve if I keep adding more, working more and more on each one, right? :D**

 **Don't hurt my innocent little feelings. Think of me as the Noire of this one-shot. Don't fool around with my emotions. D:**

 **and yes, sorry if they're both slightly OOC, but I think it fit nicely this time, and I found this really adorable to write.**

 _now to go pass out hella fast_


	11. One-shot 11! CPU Sick? Nursetune, Go!

**Something to start off the day _right_ after all. ;D This one came pretty quick, following my idea from one-shot nine, a bit. Far from the same plot, and no relation between them, but it was fun to do and I'll probably do it again, steamier, sometime. Mild sexual tension here between multiple people, of course, so T'ish is advised. Warned. :D**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its characters, contents, or assets; all rights are owned, licensed and reserved by Compile Heart, NIS America, and the other companies responsible for bringing us this wonderful series, translated and ready for our enjoyment and pleasure. :D Please support the official releases, and maybe we'll get future game installments! Or... GASP, MAYBE SWEET, LOVING YURI!**

 **Synopsis: Noire collapses with the first recorded case of a fever in all of Gamindustri... well, for a CPU. The other CPUs are all around, wondering how to help and 'respectfully forfeiting' their own plans to 'nurse Noire back to health', AKA, mostly being lazy and hanging out together. Through the efforts of Uni and Neptune, will Noire get better? And is this fever... contagious?**

* * *

You know, when it first happened, I didn't really know what to expect.

I'd been working on more reports for Lastation, my sister only a small distance away, our piercing red eyes scanning paper after paper, placing seals of approval or writing out reformations and changes to each and every document before signing our names so that each company and project within Lastation could flow smoothly. We'd ended up working for multiple days in a row, now, as we were a bit behind after a certain pair of slackers interrupted our schedule. I don't understand the joys of bothering other people, but I guess it was nice to see a couple people wanted to hang out. Still, there's been a lot to accomplish, especially since we, as the technical 'future' nation between the two dimensions, have been working around the clock to ensure our slightly out-of-date clone… I mean, sister, doesn't struggle by herself. Uni's been a good mediator, bringing ideas back and forth for both of us, and she's been utterly insistent that I join her sometime to meet my other self, but each time has been a resolute **no.**

Who would want to meet their showier, less respectful self? If she could barely respect my… best friend… and was kind of rude to me, why would I want to meet her face to face? Her outfits are tacky and she's a little embarrassing!

Oh, right. Back on topic; I decided to get up to make something for Uni and I, but quickly felt the feeling leave my legs as my vision darkened and I collapsed. Turns out, even CPUs can get low-grade fevers. Really stupid thing, Histoire came and told us about it while observing me for an answer so that the others would stop fretting so much. It was _also_ at this time that my other self _did_ visit, and things were kind of awkward.

But, whatever; everyone abandoned their work to hang around Lastation, and here we are now. My sleep's been interrupted multiple times in the last hours, and I feel my breathing being rather heavy and hoarse as I sit up, wincing. Everything's so hot and uncomfortable.

"…Hey! Are you doing okay, Noire? How many Neps are you seeing?!" Neptune calls out, leaning forward on the bed while pressing a hand softly to my forehead. I blink, my slight embarrassment hidden by the feverishness flowing throughout me as she sighs, frowning. "Okay, okay. Um, what did Compa and Histy say… um… uh… Uni! I have no idea what to do! Her forehead's not cooling off!" she calls, turning to jog out of the room, leaving me confused.

Why would you even do that if you have no idea what to do? Idiot. I notice myself smiling and shake my head. Classic Neptune, I guess.

Uni returns, her eyes full of agitation and aggravation until she notices I'm awake. She stops, her irises widening before she smiles, shooing Neptune out of the way. She quickly grabs a rag and wets it with cool water, it looks like, before approaching me. "Hey, sis. I'm glad you're awake."

I scoff, returning her warm expression. "Not like I have much of a choice. I can _hear_ those idiots moving all over outside and in the other rooms. It even sounds like someone's playing a zombie slasher."

She laughs quietly, flashing me an apologetic look. "I can't stop them since they don't listen to me, so I'm sorry, sis. The other you has been trying to keep things under control, but when it's all of us, it doesn't really… well, work."

I smirk to myself; so, the clone doesn't have as much of an authoritative effect on the group, huh? Good. "What is she doing now, anyway?" I ask, finding myself curious. I'm not even a nice enough person to visit myself?

"She's currently working on the paperwork for both Lastations while both Miss Blancs work hard organizing everything. The Verts are entertaining everyone else with different games from each of the nations, and they're… doing that. Yeah."

I frown, somewhat unhappy to know other CPUs are going through my documents, but I can't do much about that now, it seems. Well, at least Lastation won't fall behind, then. I flick my eyes over, noticing Neptune watching both of us with fascination, her eyes mainly observing Uni's treatment methods as she dips the rag in water before wiping down my arms and back, and then setting it aside to grab another, keeping her hand and it pressed against my forehead. I shiver slightly at the cool wetness of it, and Neptune reacts before Uni does in readjusting the blanket to cover the bottom part of my torso. "…T-thanks, Neptune." She beams, nodding as if she just saved my life, and I smirk, sighing.

"I could've gotten that…," Uni mutters, grumbling to herself.

"Hey, Uni. We need some help organizing things, since you know stuff here bett…er…," that voice that sounds just like mine trails off, and I shift my eyes over onto the awkwardly standing frame of the other me. She gulps, setting a stack of papers to the side before walking over, bowing her head in greeting. "Um, hi, future Noire… and Neptune," she clicks her tongue in annoyance as Neptune pipes in in greeting, and I find myself somewhat upset at this treatment of my friend. "I'm… um, glad you're awake. Are you okay?"

Uni withdraws the rags, and I quickly slide my pajamas back up to cover myself as I nod, turning my head to stare at her. "I'm fine, and, uh, hello. Sorry to meet you face-to-face again under these conditions, though it wasn't something I was really expecting."

Neptune remarks before anyone, frowning. "None of us have ever heard of a CPU getting sick with more than just being tired, so we were all really worried."

The other me grumbles in denial, and I find myself wondering; am I really that obvious of a tsundere? I really need to work on that, sometime. Or at least be more aware. "Well, I'm kind of glad," Uni remarks, smiling softly. "My sister doesn't like depending on people, so even despite that, you all came to help us. Thank you girls, really."

I frown. "Still here, you know… but… yeah, thank you. And," I humph, nodding to myself as I decide to shift the conversation. "You said you needed to borrow Uni to help with the paperwork? Uni, would you… mind? I trust you with it more than anyone else."

She beams, nodding happily. "Of course! I'll get it straightened away as soon as possible…," she trails off, biting her lip hesitantly while glaring at Neptune. "…You, Nepgear's sister," Neptune protests against this title, but Uni seems to ignore her, "take care of my sister, or I'll kill you." She smiles in an unsettlingly threatening way, and it occurs to all of us that she'll make good on her promise if she has to. I shiver instinctively, and she notices with a frown. "Will you be okay, sis?"

I nod, recomposing myself immediately. "I'll be okay, Uni. I'll make sure Neptune doesn't slack off, so don't worry so much – go and get that paperwork done before Lowee steals our ideas. None of us are present, so we can only wonder what the Blancs are planning."

She nods, and the other me and she excuse themselves before disappearing to return to working, leaving Neptune and I in a kind of comfortable silence. I yawn, leaning back against the frame of my bed, half-closing my eyes. "You don't need to sit and just watch me, Neptune. It's not that bad, honestly. Why don't you grab a game or some sleep?" I remark, noticing the bags under her eyes. "The CPU of laziness shouldn't look so exhausted. It's not fair to us that work hard."

She pouts, sticking out her tongue. "I'll be okay. I have to make sure you don't go full loner, _especially_ after Uni's threat. I don't wanna' die, man." She pauses for a moment, turning her head to the side as she looks closely at me, her amethyst eyes penetrating my form. I feel a weird sensation run across my nerves and lean back a little bit, giving her a questioning expression. "Are you… really okay?"

"I should be, if this is all it really is. Just kind of achy and hot, is all," I say flatly, though I can't help but find it kind of cute; is she really this worried about me? "Though, if I remember, Histoire said it can be contagious. You might not want to be so close… not that I'd really care if you got sick, though."

She chuckles, grinning softly at me. "But you would. You'd do the same for me. Aw, and look! You're even blushing!"

I clasp my hands to my face, groaning. "S-shut up. It's just the fever, gosh. You can be such a pain…," I trail off, observing Neptune for a minute before I smirk, leaning forward to kiss her forehead gently with a wink. "But maybe you're right; I'd _nurse_ you back to _perfection_ , _N_ - _e_ - _p_ - _t_ - _u_ - _n_ - _e_!" She flushes suddenly, flailing as she tries to lean back, falling off her chair and onto the floor. I can't help but laugh, and even if my chest hurts a bit from it, I can't stop; even if my face matches a tomato now, that was _so_ worth it. "You… okay?" I choke out, slowly calming myself down.

"So not cool, Noire," Neptune laughs back, rubbing the back of her head. Uni rushes back in, a look of alarm and anger on her face as Neptune defensively and instinctively raises her hands in surrender. "I-I-I didn't do anything! I'm innocent, officer! You'll stand up for me, right, Noire?!" I pat my chest, feeling my lungs hurting a little now as I cough softly, watching with amusement as Uni's eyes become deathly threatening. " _Noooo! It's all a misunderstanding, I tell you! Noiiiire!"_

I giggle, nodding as I manage to cool Uni down by being sickly enough to require her nursing. Neptune sits near my feet now, afraid to help after Uni keeps turning to glare daggers at her as I sit with a slight smile glued to my face.

"Thank you, really," I whisper, feeling my eyes grow heavy as I drift off into a comfortable sleep. Maybe all this noise… is kind of nice.

X

"You have to stay in bed, for Goddesses' sake, Neptune!" I shout, grabbing Neptune by the collar of her shirt as I drag her off her beanbag chair and back onto her bed. Tossing her onto it, I cover her back up and glare at her until she submits. "Better. I'll go grab you some pudding or something and one of your handhelds if it'll make you sit still, you dork."

"But it's _boooriiing_ laying in bed all day!" she protests before coughing, rubbing her throat with slightly teary eyes. I huff, rubbing them away carefully with my thumb as I grab the rag, dipping it into the lukewarm bucket as I gently and expertly scrub her down. She chuckles and shifts in some spots, and I smirk to myself, having found some ticklish weaknesses. Good to know to defeat her if I ever need to, of course. She smiles, closing her eyes while I tend to her, her cheeks a little redder than a fever would cause as she mumbles to herself. "You really _are_ doing the same…!"

I pause, my courage strong and unbreakable today as I lean forward, kissing her cheek gently. "Of course I am. That's what you and I do for each other, right?" She shivers but leans into it, and I find myself deeply pleased by how quiet and submissive she gets when sick. "Maybe you should be sick more often," I remark, my hands habitually finding themselves on my hips, "you finally listen to me like this. It's kind of nice."

She pauses, smirking weakly. "Well… I _was_ promised I'd be nursed back to _perfection, N-o-i-r-e!_ "

I flush. Instantly. My face becomes redder than anything ever and I feel my skin burning with embarrassment. Oh, goddesses. I forgot I said that. I glare at her for a minute before sighing, steeling my determination as I grin, climbing on top of her on the bed, undoing the ribbons in my hair and removing my boots and stockings.

"Oh, you wanted to be nursed like a good little girl? Since you behaved… maybe I can try my special skill, I developed _just_ for _you,"_ I sing softly into her ear, and I watch as her face glows as red as mine has to be as she shivers and gasps quietly. I grin, licking her ear slowly as I run a nail teasingly down her chest, feeling her skin shiver and develop goosebumps at my soft touch. "You look like you weren't expecting me to make good, _huh_?"

She smiles, shaking her head as I lean back to grab the rag. "I'll… be a good patient, Noire."

"Good. Let's get your spirit back as soon as possible."

She gulps, pouting. "But… what about that special skill?"

I grin, licking my lips. "How do you think we're going to get that spirit back? Try not to be too loud," I whisper, smirking.

Maybe friends and sickness go hand in hand, after all. And fortunately for me, all of the other CPUs are avoiding this room like the plague, since they don't want to develop fevers. Hmmh, how convenient…~

* * *

 **Oh, sweet M rating. You'll be important soon at this rate. But not yet... not yet...**


	12. One-shot 12! The Abyssal Black Heart

**HELLO FRIENDS, ENEMIES, RIVALS AND OTHERS. THIS IS ACTUALLY, A NEW INSTALLMENT INTO THE NEPTUNIA ONE-SHOTS. BET YOU DIDN'T EXPECT THAT, HUH?! Sorry for the delay on anything new - I've had school and some real life stuff going on, and my interest in writing dropped significantly during that time. However! Due to the new Neptunia games popping up and me playing around in Hyperdevotion Noire, I've seen some adorable hints for Neptune x Noire and gotten some new inspiration to set back up and publish a few more things, alongside completing a few of the other Neptunia stories I had on backlog. Expect at least a bit more activity in the coming weeks!**

 _ **Also, be warned - this started out dark, got darker, nearly devolved into a tragedy genre, and then turned into a romance, only barely avoided becoming the true smut I've spoken of before, and then ended on a silly, romantic note. This isn't my usual stuff, but I started the idea so I decided I'd finish it, somehow. I think it turned out though - if you disagree, lemme' know. I'll try not to be too sad. :D**_

 **Noire's been left behind, and she acquired a new affinity - the _Yandere_ affinity. You thought Iris Heart was bad? No, I'd say a Yandere Noire is something to rival even Yuuno Gasai. AND IT'S NOT ENTIRELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR LADY NOIRE, ANYWAY.**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its characters, nor anything about it; I wish I did, it'd be filled with Yuri perfection and even some dank memes. Yeah, I'll try not to be too annoying. Anyway; all rights, content and affiliations are reserved and owned by Idea Factory, Sega, Compile Heart, NIS America, and all the other groups involved in making such a wonderful series of games, anime and manga. Seriously - support these guys so we can get more of honestly one of the coolest JRPGs I've ever been able to experience.**

 **NOW, ONWARD!**

* * *

Suddenly, something in me snapped.

Like, literally, just, _something_ snapped.

Okay, yeah, a second dimension is fine and all. Leave it to Neptune to stumble into that scenario with her strange main heroine obsession. Oh? It's another, older version of our world? Okay… maybe that's a bit weird. Not like it bothered me much, at least. Huh? There's another me? Well, that's to be expected; Lastation and I go hand in hand. Good thing I stayed relevant… and not for her, of course.

She made a new friend? I guess that's… Eh…? They're really close…?

And all I get when she returns to help us stop a mess _she_ and that other girl started in the first place is a 'Hello!' and I get ditched while they go off again on their own?

Are you serious?

And here I am, sitting at my desk, staring at a stack of papers. Somehow recollecting the past few months' events again has caused my fingers to dig hard into the wood frame, and Uni shakes me back into reality with a worried expression, pulling my hands out of the deep gouges. I turn my head, tilting it at her with an apologetic look to which she waves it away, smiling nervously. Neither of us say a word, however, as the silence stifles the room again. Not that it really matters – everyone's so enamored with our other-dimension counterparts that they all spend time together consistently. The other me and Uni hit it off really well, and we sometimes share ideas about Lastation in the off-chance that we interact.

That shouldn't bother me, either… but it does. But scolding Uni wouldn't do a thing to help it.

So, I smile at her and nod my head, and she quickly takes the chance to excuse herself, scurrying from the room as I return my attention to my papers; new orders for mass-producing our brand-new software and public projects that will increase our prosperity and shares in both worlds by at least ten percent. I grin in satisfaction, the familiar feeling of singular dominance becoming a reassuring comfort in the quiet. If nothing else, Gamindustri could be united peacefully under Lastation's technological achievements – a simple goal that would attract only minute attention from all parties, with likely only fruitless opposition from Leanbox and Lowee.

It could be so simple, really. This whole domination thing doesn't sound so bad, either.

I stand up, stretching and brushing my raven-colored locks from my face before I turn, peering out of my window toward the industrial, smoky, gray skies of my proud city, with citizens always stopping to bow in the direction of my Basilicom. They always hold such bright smiles and they carry themselves so proudly; at least I have achieved this spectacle.

I pause, leaning against the glass, resting my forehead on my shoulder. If I wanted to be honest with myself, my life feels as abysmal as the skies of our nation, and I acknowledge myself slipping into the darkness with every passing hour.

I've shouldered this lonesome road before, and I've been the most elite, professional CPU of the four of us since the very beginning; the name 'Black Heart' isn't just because of my city's theme, after all. But… it hurts. It honestly hurts, being the one left behind.

And it's _her_ fault.

My hands clench into tight fists, and two small number registers before my eyes as damage scores. Withdrawing my nails from my skin, I sigh, tensing my expression as I debate what the proper action to take in response to this ordeal will be. I smirk, sensing the gray become pitch, and soon, I'll ensure to ignite it.

X

Yawwwwn! I stretch out lazily, smiling to myself as I lay back, looking up at the passing blue skies. Beside me, Nepgear sits with her legs tucked under her while she keeps a watchful, endearing eye on me, and opposite her is Plutie with her weird, yellow, spiky lion doll. I have no idea where she makes those nor how, and honestly, I don't think the reference it makes really works in our series.

Oh, oh, right. Not supposed to do those so blatantly.

I close my eyes, feeling kind of sleepy before out of nowhere, like a lightning bolt, the figurative hair on the back of my neck goes up on end and I sit upright, looking around curiously. Now what the Nep caused _THAT_?

"What's wrong?" Nepgear asks me, her eyes widening as Plutie's shift over quizzically.

I rub my shoulders, trying to warm them up from that cold sensation spreading over my body. I flash a goofy, normal smile to reassure them, "Nothin', nothin'! I think I'm just hungry is all." Laughing as the finisher to the statement seems to work as they exchange regular replies before going back to staring at the sky, and I eventually lean back to resume it too.

I wonder what Noire's up to. No, not the one from Plutie's dimension – my dimension's Noire. We haven't really seen her lately and Uni's apparently worried over something. Maybe I ought to visit her more again… if Plutie lays off following me around long enough to let me. It's not like I don't mind having a lazy buddy to hang out with, but Noire always got really weird whenever she'd see Plutie tagging along with me.

Eh! Can't focus on it too long. Noire should be okay – she's the queen of being lonely, after all.

Suddenly, that same spike of 'Danger, danger, Nep-Nepinson!' pierces my gut and spine again, and I whirl around to look around with a frown. Something's very wrong, and I can't really tell what it is… and while I can't die due to being the best girl, I'm _pretty_ sure that something's definitely going to happen. After all, this story wouldn't have any purpose otherwise—I'll stop myself.

Nepgear places a hand on my shoulder, frowning in worry now. I smile nervously, scanning the horizon still. Maybe I ought to pay a visit to Histy.

"I'm hungryyy. Can we eaaat?" Plutie asks in her usual, carefree airy tone, hopping to her feet while tugging at the arms of her doll. I raise a thumb approvingly to her, and she cheers slowly as she starts skipping toward our Basilicom. "Yaaaaay!"

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Nepgear presses with a hint of sternness in her voice.

"Yeah, don't worry, don't worry, Nep Jr. I've got this covered – I just keep getting a weird feeling like something bad's gonna' happen."

"Should we talk to Histoire? I had that sense too."

I nod carefully, getting somewhat annoyed by the lack of indication to what's Nepping at me. "Let's go get some snacks with Plutie and ask Histy at the same time."

"…Right."

Just as we stand up, we hear crashing.

X

"Hah… Hahahahah," I feel myself laughing contentedly, watching Plutia raise her head in confusion, her eyes widening in bewilderment and fear at my blade's closeness to her. She opens her mouth to say something, but I twitch in annoyance, backhanding her with the hilt of my sword before wrapping my other hand around her throat. Lifting her, I maintain _just_ enough pressure to slowly incapacitate her, but not kill her. Oh, no. I shouldn't do something like **that** , _yet._ "Doesn't choking hurt?" I say, smirking. She winces, trying to cough out a response, but I knee her stomach as she gasps, her arms weakly clinging to my arm. "I don't want to hear you say another word. Now you can find out how the darkness feels."

"…?!" Her eyes droop, her body going lifeless, and I toss her off to the side of the room. She collides with a wall, laying helplessly like the dolls she loves to abuse and throw to the side, her consciousness temporarily nonexistent.

"What… are you doing, Noire…?" Histoire asks, trembling at a distance away. I turn, cocking my head at her in innocent confusion. "You… _attacked_ the Planeptune CPU of the other dimension. What are you doing…? Are you being controlled?"

"No, Histoire. I'm perfectly fine, you see. I'm just letting out some stress. Don't worry, don't worry," I reassure her with a cool smile, and she gulps. Her tiny frame shakes with even deeper fear, and I frown at her. "When have I ever been so cruel as to deprive a nation of their CPU? Don't look at me like that. I'm just waiting for a certain **someone.** "

"…Is this about _her?_ "

"I'm done being the one left behind."

"…I understand. I will not intervene… as long as you do not harm the balance," she nods weakly, floating over to inspect Plutia's unconscious form. "You didn't kill her."

"I have no reason to, unless she gives me one."

As she starts to formulate a response, Nepgear and Neptune burst in from the same door that Plutia arrived through, brandishing their weapons readily. As their eyes travel from Plutia's body, their expressions shift from anger and determination to utter confusion. Neptune's eyes widen further than Nepgear's, her mouth hanging agape as she blinks, seemingly dumbfounded by my existence.

"Wh… Lady Noire? What… happened here…?" she asks in disbelief, looking around to make sense of the situation, yet seemingly in full denial. "Were we attacked?" She looks to Histoire who shakes her head, sighing as she floats toward them. "Histoire…?"

"Nepgear, I would recommend you hang back and turn your head from what is to unfold," the small fairy-like girl states coldly. Nepgear opens her mouth to object, but Histoire raises a hand. "This is between Neptune and Noire. No one will be in danger of suffering a fatal wound, but I would rather not see you defeated in the same manner that Plutia was."

"I would never harm adorable, little Nepgear, Histoire. She is Uni's closest _friend_ ," I say, spitting coldly as I say the word, my face contorting in anger and distaste. "I would never do that to my sister."

"Wait… you… you were the one who…?" Nepgear nearly shouts her inquiry, shaking. I nod. "Why? What purpose did it serve…?!" I shrug nonchalantly. "…I-Is there someone else behind this…?!"

"No, Nepgear. Now step aside. Neptune, you and I have some _problems_ to sort out. Either come quietly and peacefully, or watch as I make you and anyone trying to protect you into the same pudding you love so much." I emphasize my statement by raising my sword, narrowing my eyes. "What'll it be, Purple Heart."

Neptune finally seems to find some semblance of a voice, dropping her sword as it vanishes into pixilation. She balls her hands into fists, staring at me in both fear and apologetic nature. "I'll… I'll go peacefully. I'm sorr…"

"I don't want to hear your stupid apologies. The time for those has been long since over," I say flatly, glaring daggers. A small pang in my heart sounded, and I hate it. I'm not giving up so easily. "Nepgear. Move out of the way and see to it that Plutia over there doesn't try to oppose me when she wakes up. She can find a new _friend_ for a few days."

Nepgear trembles, nodding helplessly as she moves toward her. "Is… is my sister going to be okay?"

"Probably."

Neptune flashes a nervous, awkward, but reassuring smile to her sister, holding up a thumb. "I'll be fine. Noire's not going to murder me."

"Probably," I say, half-mockingly, half-honestly. They seem to find it more-so the former, chuckling a bit. Neptune nods, facing me with a determined but helpless expression. "Come on, then. We'll head out now and go for a walk."

Striding past her, I pleasantly note the hurried movement to keep pace with me as she inches up to walk side-by-side with me as we depart Planeptune's Basilicom. A silence hangs in the air, and she continually shifts her eyes to me with a look of despair written on her face. Seems the typical wish to make jokes is gone, this time. Convenient.

"So, I'll not kill you if you behave like a good girl," I say with a smirk, running a hand through her hair, feeling the silkiness of it on my fingertips. "Try to stay serious, since I don't think either of us wants to see me explaining to Nepgear and Histoire why Planeptune needs a new CPU. _Right?_ "

"N-no, not at all. Though…?"

"Yes?"

"Does that mean that you're the main character of this story?"

"Yeah. You only had one point of view, didn't you notice?"

"…NEPU?! I'M NOT GETTING ANOTHER?!"

"Not likely. Now enough of that. We're going out to the forests. Manage to keep your perimeters clear while you were out _having a blast?_ " Bitterness drips from my tone, and I twitch with anger again, seeing the damage indicators flash again.

"I… I think so. Nep… Nep Jr. kept things in good shape for us," she replies meekly, her eyes training on the ground.

"You really piss me off, you know that?" I respond with utter flat disdain, and she nods. "You are by far the laziest, most selfish CPU that has ever been, and you could even be comparable to Rei with how terrible your means are. Luckily for you that I decided utter Gamindustri domination wasn't the peaceful solution, today."

"You could do that?"

"I've been able to since the first Arfoire incident, idiot. I maintained a balance and slowed down my release dates for you…r stupid asses," I say with a sigh, rubbing my forehead. "How I decided to not just crush you all with technological ability and expand Lastation's influence through Leanbox and Planeptune before stomping on Lowee is beyond me, and frankly, it sounds like a _grand_ idea right now."

"But then you'd lose us." Her eyes immediately widen and I can _sense_ the regret in her body language.

"Like I _HAD ANY OF YOU TO BEGIN WITH_ ," I shout, whirling on my heel to slap her hard across her left cheek. She staggers back, stunned, staring at me. I feel my nostrils flare and my eyes grow dark as I knee her stomach, pushing her back against a tree as my darkness seeps out. "You _abandoned_ me, and everyone else was too busy with _themselves_ to even _give two shits_ , you idiot. I've been _alone_ for the last _three months_ while even my SISTER has been careening off with the other me, who by the way has _terrible_ fashion sense and can be a complete jerk to everyone, and here I am, just working on project after project. You think I _like_ being alone? You think it feels good to be isolated?! Do you ever stop to consider how _I've_ felt?!"

She winces, damage notifications flashing over and over as I ease the pressure of my leg on her stomach just slightly. She coughs, wrapping her hands around her throat in a futile attempt to calm herself down. I sit, glaring at her as she regains composure, and she stares at me helplessly. "I'm… I… I…," she pauses, looking down at her hands, frowning. "I… don't know what to say."

"Of _course_ you don't, Neptune. Neither did Uni. You just shoved it to the side and _ignored it_ _ **and me.**_ If you really didn't like me enough to _give a shit_ , maybe you shouldn't have bothered in the first place. **Do you know how much this hurts?** Why make me **care about any of you** if _this_ is what this would be like? Why?" I'm shouting at her now, my foot having returned to the ground as I step back, my hands shaking in blatant anger. " **I hate you for doing this to me, you selfish idiot.** " Tears stream from my eyes now, and I hiccup softly as I make a futile effort in brushing away the endless torrent. "Why… why… _why_ …?!"

And here we sit, for some indefinite period. Neptune just stares at me as I continually rub away my tears, my crying not desisting in the slightest as I throw out whatever accusations alongside her name that come to mind. I blame her for all of it – my lacking effort to continually push Lastation further and further, Rei's torment on us while she was gone, the damage everyone suffered, my emotions being out of control, the lonely abyss gripping my very existence, you name it. Anything and everything, really.

My sniffling and sobbing comes to a sluggish halt, and now instead returns my anger. Raising my head, I see fear flash in her eyes as I materialize my blade, pointing it at her. "And even now, when I actually needed your stupid comfort, you just sat there and ignored it. Draw your sword; I'll just beat you until I feel better. Better yet? Transform. I'll crush your HDD too."

"No… I… Noire, I'm… I'm sorry. I don't know where to start."

"Defending yourself should be a good place to begin from," I say coldly, stepping forward before kicking her hip expertly, watching her wince and yelp in pain as she staggers to the side, off-balance, before falling onto her back. Not missing a beat, I walk to her form, pointing my blade at her face as I place a foot firmly on her chest, baring my teeth in seething anger. "You better have something clever to say or you're about to be out of the running to be the sole CPU."

She writhes in agony, still reeling from my previous tantrums and now my kick, shifting weakly under my boot. She looks up at me in fearful apology, opening her mouth to still let no words echo out. Her eyes beg for mercy, and my eye twitches again as I contemplate the next course of action.

Destroy everything, and conquest singularly with an unrequited vengeance…

…Or take my emotions out on Neptune.

 _Click._ My emotions have settled on the latter decision, and I feel my supposed tsundere attitude fading as _something_ replaces it.

I wait a few more moments for her wordless pleading and apologies, and dematerialize my weapon. I look down at her with a dark interest showing through my eyes, grinning. "Okay, Neptune, I'll make you a deal."

"…?"

"You'll be at my mercy and take any emotions I hold and reciprocate them without fail. Got it?"

She chokes, nodding. "I'll… do whatever it takes… to get you back to normal." _Ba-dump._

"Just remember whose fault it is that I'm this angry."

"I… I know. But…" I raise an eyebrow, urging her to continue. "…I'll become your friend again." _Ba-dump._

"Pah. I don't believe in friends anymore."

"…Then, I'll become something just as close." _Calm down, damn it._

"Whatever. Get up, we're going to Lastation. Here, drink this," I respond, tossing her a high-level healing item, stepping off her before helping her up into at least a sitting position. "You have a couple minutes to down that and get off your ass. I also doubt we'll avoid that stupid Plutia for too much longer."

She nods, drinking it quickly before coughing, and I raise an eyebrow at her questioningly. She looks at me with bewilderment and opposition. "Nepu…?! It's… made… of… **eggplants!** " I blink, frowning as I recall her traumatic whining about their flavor and consistency. "This is the worst thing to happen today!"

"What, so you liked being my punching bag? Did Plutia's HDD form rub off on you? Also, that phrase isn't meant the way it could be taken, and it pisses me off," I say, gritting my teeth as I punch the nearest tree; my damage being high enough to cause it to instantly dissipate as I acquire 'Wood' in my storage. Yuck.

"I… I don't like the idea of Plutie doing that to me, no. She's obsessed with you and Blanc from the other dimension, anyway." I shudder, wincing at the concept. "Well, more-so you when in her HDD form. She's kind of terrifying."

I shrug. "With the amount of utter hatred I'm withholding from unleashing on both of you, I'm not exactly worried. That's just a disgusting thought, is all."

"Your other dimension's self seems to feel the opposite," she says with a disgusted expression.

"Yeah, well, I'm not. Remember which one of us is the one capable of killing you right now." She blinks, shooting me a pleading look again. "Shut up. I'm not going to if you get off your ass in the next minute. Let's get going, already." She nods her head obediently, and hops to her feet before quickly jogging over to me. "Good girl. Come on, the transport systems should still be operational."

Before heading to the transportation center for Planeptune, I find myself begrudgingly accompanying her to the Basilicom. She insists it's important, vital even, and that she won't tarry long. I warned her with a properly dominant, angry expression that she'd better be right about her claims. She gulps and nods, and disappears into the building for a few minutes, leaving me time to set myself on one of the benches outside of it. I spend the time, mulling over the ideas for our visit to Lastation (without spoiling too much for the readers, duh), and how deeply seated my anger still resides. An all-out war is still within my ability and grasp, but it's much less likely (and a bad ending at all, really) now that I've had my emotional bubbling-over.

Neptune returns after an indefinite, but short time period, nodding. "All is well and good now, mistress Noire," she says with a playful giggle. I reach out and flick her nose, watching her recoil in a somewhat amusing manner. "Nepu?! That hurt!"

"It was well-deserved, slave," I say with a smirk, earning an embarrassed and flustered expression from Neptune. "Come, come, then. If we're going to play it this way, you'll lay in the bed you've made."

She hesitates, shaking away the redness dancing on her face. "Y-yes, um… mistress Noire."

"Excellent. Now, let's get going. Try to keep up or your day will only get arguably better, masochist."

"N…Nepu?! W-what do you mean?! This isn't going to…?!"

"Shh, shh. You've agreed to withstand whatever I desire. Now move, before I _make_ you move," I say with a casual threat, smirking at the embarrassed expression she bears as she sheepishly tries to duck out of sight of her populace's curious, confused, and pitying expressions.

We proceed to the teleportation units, and quickly transfer into the familiar gray of Lastation. I sigh, my body sagging in unconscious response to the dismal colors and scenery. Neptune pats my shoulder, and I perk up slightly, but I remain frowning. "You're the reason why this town feels so drab."

"Well, I'm sorry, uh, mistress Noire. I'm not going to leave you alone again. Promise. Nepu! Don't doubt me like that. I mean it, seriously. I've wanted to get away from Plutie, anyway." I roll my eyes, thoroughly unconvinced but internally flattered, and she pouts. "I'm honestly going to make it up to you no matter what it takes, Noire. Even if it's the last thing I do."

I feel a slight flush on my face and grumble at her. "Shut up, I've heard about you and your honeyed words."

"Can I steal your sweet roll?"

"If I find your hand anywhere near my pockets, I _swear_ I'll cut it off."

"I-I… I'm good, then."

"I'll conjure you up a warm bed, though," I say, winking again as her face heats up again, and I grin. "You're even more of a tsundere than you say I am."

"Nep you. I'm the lead character, I'm not supposed to pick favorites," she pauses, looking hesitantly at me before adding, "unless it'd be to increase relations with Lady Noire, at least."

A nasal snort bursts from me, and I shake my head with a small, genuine smile. "You're a dolt."

"You're more like the Noire I adore because of it, so I'll happily continue being one." I avert my eyes from her, pointing out Lastation's Basilicom as she leans closer, poking my cheek. "At a loss for words?"

"I'm… just planning out how much I'm going to make you pay, duh."

She giggles, shrugging nonchalantly – completely unaware of the fate awaiting her. How cute. Regardless, we walk in a more pleasant silence into the Basilicom – my staff more than surprised and yet also worried to see Neptune accompanying me – as we head up toward my office-and-bedroom.

We pass Uni in the halls at one point, and her eyebrows rise and her mouth falls agape as she discovers her inability to speak. She just points at Neptune in confusion, tossing us looks. Neptune wraps her arms around my left one, leaning on me with a smile as she sticks her tongue out.

"Looks like you're even slower with Nepgear, Uni," I remark nonchalantly, earning exasperated, flustered and bewildered sounds from both Neptune and Uni. I look at them with mild boredom, shrugging. "You're going to pretend there isn't anything there? _Now_ who's being unreasonable? Uni, go to Planeptune and sit down with Nepgear – _settle_ your problems and speak from the heart; you've had plenty of time to learn from my mistakes, now go."

"I-I-I… I don't know w-what you're t-talking about, sister!" she shouts in embarrassment, stiffening after I give her a demanding, curt glance. "I… uh… I'll go talk to them and figure out what's going on. _That's all! Nothing else!_ "

"Yeah, yeah, Tsundy2.0," Neptune remarks as she rolls her eyes, seemingly recovered. She tosses a look up toward me, frowning. "Do you mean that Nep Jr.'s going to get kidnapped, too?"

"If you haven't figured out that I'm just _that_ unique and amazing, I _will_ make you remember more of your experience with it," I remark with a challenging stare. She and Uni both gulp, and I shift my attention over to my sister again. "Are you going to sit there and be dumbfounded, or are you going to go handle the first diplomatic relations discussion I've asked of you, Uni?" Her eyes widen and brighten in surprise, and I smile gently at her. "Make Lastation and I proud."

"Yes, sister!" she affirms, pivoting on her heel to run off in the direction of the transporters as we depart again for my room.

"She's _dense_ , man."

"At least she didn't go full dolt, _man_ ," I say, picking up my head in surprise. "Hey, we're here. That was a lot briefer than I expected."

"Maybe the author's running out of cute banter and dialogue and slide-in pairings outside of ours?"

"S-Shut up! You're breaking the wall again. And as long as he doesn't randomly just slide Vert or Blanc in, it should be fine."

X

I sneeze, feeling a slightly cold sensation running down my spine. Financier approaches with a tissue, rubbing my nose as I look up at her in appreciation, staring at my computer screen. She leans down, looking with curiosity at my current project.

"Are you writing or working, ma'am?"

"A bit of both. Perhaps I need a break, though."

"That may be for the best, Lady Blanc."

X

"Nah, I don't think he would. Especially not Vert, though. He's not really a huge fan of her."

"Okay, you can stop now, Neptune. The wall is shattered, we don't need to _kill_ it."

"Okay, okay, fine, fine. Where were we?"

I open the door to my office, smiling softly while pointing to the door leading to my bedroom. "The end of the line, Neptune." She gulps, smiling weakly as she steps past me, walking into the office. She gazes about in wonder, as if… "…Did you forget about what my office was like?"

She turns, shaking her head. "No! But, you've decorated a bit. It's a lot more… what's the word? Snazzy?"

I purse my lips, frowning. "Well, 'snazzy' doesn't have the nicest sound to it, but I suppose that works. Yeah, I've been doing some renovations and updates to my surroundings to ensure things remain comfortable yet veritably reliable. Though, I need a new desk." She winces, seeing the deep gouges still in the wood, flashing me another apologetic expression. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm a little less angry now."

"I'm not going to make that mistake again," she states matter-of-factly, pursing her lips in a determined manner. She spins on her heel, smiling at me. "So, onee-chan, what are we gonna' do on the bed?"

"Pomf?" I respond, raising an eyebrow. We both pause, eying one another awkwardly. "Well, I mean…"

She smirks, obviously pleased with my reaction as she enters my room, disappearing from sight. "Oh wow! That's a really nice bed!" she remarks, and I shake my head, trailing after her. Narrowing my eyes incredulously, seeing her rolling around on my blankets while hugging one of my pillows, and I blink in disbelief. "This bed's so warm and fuzzy! Noire, do you always sleep with these kinds of pillows?! Where'd they come from?!"

I hesitate for a moment, before tossing my doubting feelings to the wind as I approach, sitting on the side of the bed as I watch her roll around. "Well," I start, smirking to her unknowing self before I grab her shoulder, stopping her as I pull her up against me with my spare hand – ignoring the deep crimson covering my face and my throbbing, almost painful heartbeat – and press my lips firmly against hers. She lets out a cute little sound, stunned, the pillow tumbling out of her arms and into her lap as her eyes close, quickly submitting to the kiss as she wraps her arms around my neck, pulling closer. At once, I feel my darkness seeping out from my heart, and instead, I'm whole once more.

Pressing her tongue into my mouth, my nose fills with the sweet scent of her hair, and a surge of pleasure rushes through my body as our tongues entwine; the saliva being actually kind of delectable, surprisingly, as I raise my hands up, running them through her hair lovingly. I never would have admitted I was just flat-out in love with Neptune, but I came to realize I _definitely_ wanted more than just being friends… and I feel a happy, flighty feeling in my heart as I can note her satisfaction in this development too. Her lips are soft, actually – softer than the feeling when you pet a really well-groomed cat or squish your face in a super-comfortable pillow – and I can taste a slight hint of just out-right pudding flavors from her lips and mouth, and I chuckle inwardly. Typical that everything would be pudding.

We break the kiss slowly, a small trail of saliva hanging between us before falling onto my chest, Neptune and I both breathing heavily as we exchange hungry looks. "Your lips are even nicer than I'd of imagined, Noire. I wonder what…"

"If you say another word and ruin this, I'll kill you," I say, leaning forward to kiss her again, pushing her backward onto the bed. Sliding my hands up and down along her arms, I gently drag a nail down toward her neck, smirking at the white line forming as she shivers helplessly. I pull back, bowing my head to instead suckle softly on her neck as she lets out a tiny whimper, wiggling under me. "So… you have a thing for necks, huh?" She nods, her chin rubbing softly at the top of my head and I grin, nipping her skin as she gasps, wiggling further. Instinctively, I pin both of her arms above her head with one arm, the other sliding down her cheek, and then to her outfit as I pause for a moment. "I really preferred the hoodie to this, you know. You ought to change back sometime."

"M-maybe, I can after I head back to Planeptune."

"I'm not sure I'm letting you leave, Neptune," I sing softly into her ear, watching as her whole body reacts in response, and I find myself pleased with the reaction. Drawing out my tongue, I drag it over her earlobe, shifting pleasurably to her soft moan. "Mmm, now _that's_ a nice sound," I whisper, feeling her squirm. Opening my mouth, I chew on the tip of her ear, hearing her gasp. "Neptuuune~, you have such a cute voice…"

"I-I… aah… I thought you'd be the submissive, Noire…," she says weakly, her voice shaking as my hand expertly slides her jacket off her form. She follows my movements obediently, and I lean back onto our legs, smiling darkly. "W-what is it?"

"You're so cute, Neptune. I'm going to _have_ to keep you here for a while, you know." She tilts her head questioningly, and I shrug nonchalantly as I strip her of her dress now, my eyes wandering over her small, yet purely dazzling figure. Her skin shimmers like moonlight, thoroughly enticing my every instinct, masked only by her socks, panties and bra. "I'd never have pegged _you_ for stripes," I say, chuckling.

"They're… cute! Don't pick on my style," she says, leaning up to bite my neck playfully as I gasp, shivering. My hands instinctively grasp at her back, my nails scratching her slightly as her eyes widen in both lust and surprise, and she smirks. " _Now_ who has a neck thing, huh?" I flick her back in response, and she grins as her hands quickly rid my hair of its ribbons, and I feel my hair cascade down like in my HDD form as she runs her hands through it, pleased. "I never really did like that new HDD Black Heart form. It's so much prettier like this."

"Oh, so we're in agreement."

She nods, kissing my collarbone softly as she tugs off my sleeves, our hands locking warmly as she licks my neck. I shiver again, whispering her name, and she shivers in response. Does she like my voice that much…? She nuzzles her face in my chest, and I shift and giggle at the same time, her hair tickling me as I kiss the top of her head.

"Hey, Noire?" Neptune starts, looking up at me while keeping herself nestled in my breasts, and I offer her a questioning look as her hands tighten in mine. "I'm honestly sorry for not being around more. I think… I think I've been missing out on spending time with my best friend and… and soulmate. I… I love you, you know?"

I smile, kissing the top of her forehead. "I'm not entirely sure I buy that, but, I _do_ love you, Neptune. I think _that much_ has been proven."

She grumbles in protest, pouting at me. " _I do love you!_ I'm sure of that!"

Pushing her down onto the bed again, I shift her and my position to be properly lying down as I kiss her, hugging her tightly. "Prove it from now on, you big dolt. And don't leave me alone again."

She nods, embracing me just as closely in return, resting her forehead against mine. "I'm not going to miss out on your loving anymore. I'll be sure to make sure of that."

"Good… stupid idiot."

"…Hey, Noire?" I look at her, nuzzling her nose with mine. "Does this mean that this _wasn't_ the promised Yuri goodness?"

"Oh, shut up. That'll come some other time. And nice job, ruining the mood."

"You love me anyway," she says, our lips and bodies fitting together once more, as a perfect puzzle solved.


	13. One-shot 13! (Well, a semi-shot) GLOMP!

**A cute, short, sweet idea and slightly different version of that story-arc in Hyperdevotion Noire. I never really understood the whole fiasco, nor the way _anyone_ handled it. Noire showed obvious, like, OBVIOUS, signs of being utterly obsessed with Neptune's absence, to the point of me audibly 'Awh'ing multiple times. That, and the secretary scenes in that chapter and the one after it were utterly adorable, too.**

 **Much shorter than the last one, but not necessarily any worse - it conveys a singular dialogue pretty well, considering the exchange would only, truly, take about fifteen minutes in real time. Amazing that writing it took a bit over an hour, huh?**

 **Synopsis: Noire's frustrated with Neptune's sudden betrayal/ditching the group to follow her girls from Planeptune, and Blanc and Vert attempt to calm the Lastation CPU to a reasonable level. And then, sweet, sweet Purple and Black goodness.**

 **I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia - nor Hyperdevotion Noire, for that matter - in holding the rights to it, the creation of it, nor the distribution of it. All of those rights are reserved, owned and managed by Idea Factory, NIS America, Compile Heart, Sega, and the other companies involved in creating this series and its spin-offs. Please support the official releases of their content so we can get more games to gush over, and for more fanfictions for me to write. :D**

* * *

She taps her foot impatiently, her generals looking on with a mixture of fear and worry, her eyes frequently shifting from both entrances into the city. She lets out an annoyed huff, looking over at her secretary who shrugs helplessly, at a loss for words themselves. She opens her mouth once or twice, about to say something, but repeatedly closes it before letting out any words. This cycle continues a couple more times before the rather short blonde girl beside her pats her shoulder, offering a sympathetic expression.

"I'm sure she will return soon, Noire," she says to the raven-haired, annoyed CPU of Lastation, who flicks her eyes over in disbelief. "You needn't worry as much as you are – she had her reasons, no matter how convoluted, to request time to think about the direction we are proceeding in. It's better off not to rush her, and to instead collect your composure before you intimidate your generals."

She stamps her foot, groaning aloud. "I know! I… know, okay? It's just so _stupid_ that there's anything to consider. Those three are probably filling her head with lies about what we're aiming to achieve here, and it's annoying me that I can't do anything to stop them."

The taller, buxom blonde next to Noire and the smaller CPU of Lowee, Blanc, nods. "We can understand from where you come from, Noire, but you are beginning to worry those surrounding you – this is a time where the leaders must be even more prepared and composed for their soldiers, and you are not handling it very well."

In truth, Noire knew what they were saying was right – but it was just… it was beyond aggravating, it was infuriating. She and that stupid, purple-headed idiot had been the most deep-rooted rivals since ever, worse than even Vert and Blanc had been, previously – and yet, they always melded together so well, like best friends or even sometimes, sisters. So… _Why did she leave to go off on her own?! I didn't even do anything to jeopardize any other nations; I didn't intend to!_

The more Noire contemplated the choices the CPU of Planeptune had made, the more confused and upset she became; it hurt her in inexplicable ways, and no amount of reasonable discourse could change that fact. Without Neptune, it felt… sort of pointless, really. All of it did.

She would sigh, rubbing her temples tiredly. Her secretary would approach, holding out a cup of herbal tea, to which she takes and drinks slowly, sipping. She pauses, looking over at the other two remaining CPUs, thinking, as they stare at her quizzically.

"You look like you're going to suggest something," Blanc says, the generals surrounding them inching closer to be able to hear – _Huh, I must look less angry, or something._ Not that their opinions of her really mattered to her right now. "Feeling a bit calmer?"

"I want to come up with a plan of action to oppose whatever sort of threat that those three might pose against us – invading them would only further their accusations about us, but ignoring them is causing civil discord amongst ourselves. We need to do something about their attempts."

Vert nods, smiling softly. "That is more reasonable than your previous suggestions were. Would you all agree?" she says, looking to the other faces who look more than relieved at this new statement. They affirm Vert's somewhat-rhetorical question, and the Leanbox CPU turns to Noire and Blanc, setting a serious expression on her Aphrodite-like face. "What might we do to remedy the current issues?"

"Technological warfare?" Blanc says, almost sarcastically. Noire and Vert smirk, but roll their eyes. "We could utilize Ai over there and strip her of some of her clothing – that might get us an edge in the public eye."

"No, anything but that! I have a career to consider!"

"We ought to settle a civil discussion with Neptune first," Vert suggests, much to Noire's pleasure. The Lowee and Leanbox CPUs exchange a glance at the sudden hopefulness echoing forth, leaving Noire exclaiming about how they misunderstood her reaction.

"Would that work?" Blanc responds, raising a hand to her chin as she contemplates the concept. "We would have to theoretically be perfect in our wording, and preparing for any counter-responses from Neptune's generals may be exceptionally difficult."

"It isn't them that we need to convince – it's Neptune. We blatantly told them that we had no interest in dominating any one nation to further the power of another; if they cannot understand that, then our only hope is to ensure Neptune, their supposed pillar to stand on, does. I still don't get why she doubted my sincerity."

"You really are like a love-stricken schoolgirl, you know," Vert responds nonchalantly, and Noire's eye twitches in anger. "I mean no offense of course, but if this were, say… myself or Blanc, I don't think you'd be reacting as poorly."

"Of course I would. You're all my friends, and Neptune's just Neptune. It's just that I didn't think she'd be so stupid to doubt us, that's all," she would state matter-of-factly, nodding to herself. "It just bugs me that she's been sticking with our decisions up until a couple of people say they prefer her being the singular leader of Gamarket, and they dislike me, that she jumps ship to ditch us. That's all, really."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Blanc says, waving a hand at her, which only further upsets Noire. She grins at the Lastation CPU, and then the generals. "You're having a hard time conducting yourself like our current leader, Noire. Does not having your right-hand bother you so?"

"Neptune isn't my right-hand, my secretary here is," she says blatantly, the secretary looking utterly stunned. Blanc and Vert nod in agreement, incapable of refuting her. "They've managed to be the least biased person of our entire group, despite being loyal to Lastation – they've had good ideas and have seen all of the current issues just like us, so I would say they rightfully deserve the spot. Now, back to Neptune."

"What about me, now?" Everyone jumps, their eyes widening to hilariously cartoonish sizes, Neptune tilting her head in confusion. In her hand, she holds a small pudding cup and in the other, a spoon. She takes a spoonful of her treat, mumbling over the pudding sitting in her mouth. "Whaaaht? You guysh are actin' like you shaw a ghosht."

Blanc raises a finger, pointing at her, her face still mirroring the group's bewilderment. "We thought you left to go join those three's alliance against the rest of us, so we were discussing…"

"Ah, no worries, no worries! While working with my girls would be really cool, I told them that their methods were pretty bad and I wasn't fond of them, so I instead just came back to hang out again. You guys wouldn't try to wipe out Planeptune anyway – I'm too amazing to just, y'know, lose!"

"Well, that's true, but…"

"NEPTUNE!"

A girly, happy, high-pitched shout echoes forth throughout the city, leaving the group stunned as Noire steps forward, leaping at Neptune – a true, fully-fledged glomp – as she tackles the purplish-pink-haired CPU to the ground, hugging her. Neptune would struggle for a few moments, Noire's tsundere habits fully dissipated as the generals, secretary, and Vert and Blanc would look on with both amusement and, possibly, jealousy as the CPU of Lastation would cuddle the CPU of Planeptune like a body pillow.

* * *

 **Also, I might be dabbling in other pairings soon, or at least, new, lengthier stories, so any updates here might be a bit less frequent for a little bit - or the entries might be a bit shorter, such as the above. Regardless, they'll still be quicker than the two-month-hiatus I took earlier, I think, so stay Neptuned!**

 **Oh, yeah, and _Tonnura-san_ is an utterly mind-blowing manga series. Utterly silly, highly ecchi, exceptionally weird, yet thoroughly amusing. To quote the Redditor that piqued my interest in it; Tonnura-san is truly the smuggest Garfield.**

 **Now, pardon my absence for the night to go delve into the later chapters of Hyperdevotion Noire! Soon, I embark on either replaying Re;Birth Vol1, or I begin Vol2!**


	14. One-Shot 14! Two Brave Faces

**Heya, guys! Tainted/Klelthin here with another brief update since I've been in the mood (and playing Neptunia again, which helped refresh me and get my creative mojo flowing again). This one's a bit more mellow and brief than my usual previous stuff, but I had fun writing it and might add a continuation later on since it was supposed to be a different idea from my list of one-shots checklist. And _yes_ , I actually do keep one and jot new ideas down whenever they come to me. Pretty silly but convenient, I'd say.**

 **My writing's not as peppy recently due to my state of mind being more relaxed and mellow, and it reflects, but hey, I think I did a good job. Noire and Neptune are a bit more serious, but I also felt that was fair considering their characters aren't just supposed to _always_ be memes and references and stereotypical archetypes. I mean, I really like the idea of these two being different when alone than in front of others - like a weird emotional bond or something, since the Neptunia games paint them pretty damn close most of the time.**

 **Also, recently, I've played through Rebirth V2, and some of Rebirth V3 - though I already played Victory so it wasn't as important to me, and I'm dabbling in Megadimension now as well, and I have to say... Rebirth V2 was more the CPU girls by Chapter 5 than it was about the Candidates, and I thought that was actually _awesome_ since I STILL believe the Candidates are pretty bland and uninteresting in most scenarios. Nepgear is a little cooler, and Uni's neat, but I still don't really care for R/R. I liked Neptune and Noire becoming highly important in V2 though, again, and Vert was pretty cool as well. Blanc's an old lady apparently, like... 45. Dunno' how that works due to hammer logic, but hey, I guess you don't need to be super tough to swing a massive weapon with ease.**

 **Anyway, this is shortly after Chapter 5 where the girls are released from the** tentacles **\- I mean, cords. Obviously, the CPUs needed rest, but I'm PRETTY sure they would not have been as inactive as they were made to seem. This was some fluff, kind of even more-so a Rebirth V2 philosophical/friendship thing more than a romance, but you can see it if you interpret the words the right way. It wasn't anything special, but it made me happy to write it and post it.**

 **Anyway, onward - I'll jot my stuff at the bottom.**

* * *

"Ugh, my shoulders are just so stiff," I complain to the air, wincing uncomfortably as I try to stretch. Clicking my tongue as my body refuses to cooperate to the extent I want it to; I sigh in defeat and stretch back out on my bed. My eyes narrow, peering at the door, then the window and then the shelves of outfits and games off to the side contemplatively. It's been three years, stuck in an uncomfortable position in an overly close proximity to Blanc and Vert. Those weird cords were killer on my body, and this lack of shares is really painful to work with. Uni did a good job despite the situation – Lastation is still the most powerful nation of the four but is still behind Arfoire's syndicate at about twelve percent, but the shares are still not returning my strength as quickly as I hoped and wanted. Well, it _has_ only been a day, I suppose, so I shouldn't be so pushy.

But there's just so much work to do and while our sisters were dependable and saved us, I don't entirely feel right leaving the battle to them. Uni's stronger now, and more mature, but she's still lacking in multiple departments, and I can tell that the stress and pressure is beginning to wear on her. I grumble to myself as an after-thought from that comment about the lack of coordination from Blanc and Vert when Neptune and I engaged that woman – like, when does rushing in by yourself _ever_ beat the enemy? The only dolt that can pull that off would be Neptune.

Speaking of Neptune, I haven't seen her in a while. I know she was doing better us three, but is she just faking that? While I can't prove it, I have a sense that just maybe she might have been. Ugh, for once, she might be a better older sister than I am.

There's chatter out in the main room, and I can tell the girls have stopped by – though for why, I can't really be sure. Uni's raising her voice over something, and… Rom and Ram, I think, are also making a ruckus while other voices I'm not too familiar with are joining in. There's movement and a scuffle, I presume, as there's a loud clamor approaching my door, which flings open and slams against the wall with a wince-worthy bang, and I _know_ that that will require maintenance repairs now. Ugh, there can only be a few people like that, and I know a familiar purple idiot's ears must have been ringing as my eyes shift over onto her.

"Hey, Noire! You're awake! It's like you're not dead!" Neptune shouts knowingly, and I sigh as I force myself to sit up, rubbing my forehead tiredly. Do I have enough energy to deal with this right now? "Everybody's been pushing that we need to leave you guys alone, but I'm just like, Nep that! If our workaholic Lonely Heart wanted to be alone, you'd be long gone, now wouldn't you?"

Uni appears in the doorway now as well, glaring daggers at Neptune while also simultaneously staring at me apologetically. "I-I'm sorry, sister, she's been insisting that—."

"It's alright, Uni. Thank you for thinking of me, but I can handle Neptune's antics. Could you brew some tea, though? And," I pause, feeling the pleading puppy eyes of a Planeptune CPU peering into my soul, "some snacks and sweets, I guess, for the harebrained one."

Smirking as Neptune protests at her identification, Uni bows and nods in subtle relief before disappearing. The door clicks softly, and I am left with Neptune who walks about the room for a few moments, dead silent, and I raise an eyebrow cautiously.

"Is something up, Neptune? You're never this quiet," I ask, bracing my back against my headboard with a few pillows. I quietly observe her picking up and examining different items from my shelves, and I purse my lips patiently, waiting. There's no real reason to get anxious or upset at her seeing my stacks of outfits and plain room, since she stumbled across it a time ago before this Arfoire incident, and I like to think we're close enough to avoid the consistent stupid jokes when it's just us. I believe I'm right in this personal presumption, based on how her shoulders droop tiredly and her eyes follow suit slightly, and after setting a Monster Hu—Killer Tri outfit back into a slightly hidden position as before, she softly ghosts to the bed, propping herself up beside me on the bed.

"Hey, Noire. It's been three years."

I frown, and nod. "Yeah, it really has been. Hard to believe we were gone for that long, huh?" She affirms with a small sound, and I sigh, starting to consider what has her like this. Gingerly putting an arm around her, I pull her beside me as we sit, shifting my eyes over onto her bright, colorful hair. "But that's not what you were getting at, was it?" She shakes her head, and I close my eyes, leaning my head back onto the headboard now. "You're going to have to speak a bit more if you want me to be able to understand the specifics. Can't tell if you're jealous that I listened to Blanc and Vert complain for three years, or if you're feeling as strange as I am about our sisters growing up as much as they have."

"It's kind of more the second one than the first, though I did kinda' miss you and them. It's just…," she drifts off, sighing, leaning against me. "Nep Jr.'s… not my kid sister anymore. I can see it in how she moves and acts, she's entirely an adult now, and I don't entirely know how to feel about it. She's still kind and caring and fun to lead around, but there's also some silence now, and… an air of superiority, I guess."

I pause, frowning. Uni may have gotten more independent and more outspoken, but I don't believe she feels she outshines me in any way – and, I hate to be arrogant, I doubt she ever could, besides maybe in paperwork, at best, if I decide not to put my all into it. Though, that's not the same relationship that the Planeptune sisters have, and I make a mental note to speak to Blanc about it later, if I feel up to it. Instinctively, my body reaches out to pat her head with my spare hand, and I smile softly at Neptune. "Hey, it'll be alright. We'll both get back out there and redeem ourselves from three years ago, and I'm sure you'll take your stupid lead character role back as we carry ourselves like we usually do." Her eyes shift onto me, and I nod with a smirk. "You know, you may not remember it, but you were the only CPU to rival me in work and battle, back before when we were all enemies. You'll catch back up and, as terrible as it is to say, outshine Nepgear quickly."

"Thanks, Noire, but… should I? Shouldn't I feel happy as an older sister? Shouldn't I just celebrate and goof off more as…"

"As she overshadows you and phases you out of your place as the Planeptune CPU? Hell, Neptune, I'm supposed to be the quick-to-freak one – we're older sisters, older siblings. It's our job to be the role models that are frustratingly always one or five steps ahead of our younger sisters. If we don't do that, _then_ we'll be failures as sisters. So, stop thinking stupidly – this is dumb, even for _your_ worries."

She lifts her head, squinting at me. "Noire, you're not supposed to be all logic and composure. Even your tsun's less noticeable today."

"Shut up, I'm not a tsundere. I just ended up worrying about you becoming even bigger dead weight to all of us, since Lastation always has to pick Planeptune's ass up – every game, might I add – and I'd prefer you at least stay peppy if you're going to be useless."

"Ow, owowow, my poor main character heart! It's as if my sidekick is jealous of my passive 'Everything is daijoubu' ability!" She smirks, shifting away slightly as I whap my hand on her shoulder. I pull my arm off of her at the sound of Uni returning, and she bounces over on the bed toward the footer, grinning as my sister enters. "Aw, yis, mothanepin sweets. Noire, can Planeptune borrow Uni after all this? I need her for sweet reasons."

"Firmly opposed," Uni and I reply simultaneously, chuckling while Uni sets the tray down. She stares at me curiously, as if wanting to say something in particular, but seems to refrain as she fidgets silently. I raise an eyebrow, urging my body forward to grab a frosted cookie, nibbling at it as I motion for Uni to sit down. "So, Uni, is something bothering you, or do you have something you wish to say?" She gulps, averting her eyes from me, and I sigh. I don't know what to do with this one.

"Ah… Uhm… Well, sister… Will you be… uh…"

"Yo, Noire, when'll you be joining us, you think?" Neptune butts in, her cheek still stuffed full of pudding like a squirrel's full of nuts. "We're managing, but it's more fun with the Queen Loner around." She smiles at Uni who glares daggers at her, and shrugs. "You two can be massive tsuns whenever, but I want Noire to tag along, too, so I asked for ya'. What's the big problem?"

Smiling at the two as they bicker, I weigh out my physical ability at the moment and wince as I try to stretch my leg. Inadvertently, I chomp hard on the cookie, earning the attention of both girls as Uni puts her hand under my calf, looking at me worriedly as I briefly chew and swallow the snack, and sigh. "I'm not capable today, though I should be back to full capability by tomorrow morning if I can get some decent rest tonight. You all can catch me up on the plans then, can't you?"

The two nod, Uni carefully helping me set my leg back down before hopping to her feet, her face obviously more than happy at the prospect of us working together – not to be lost on me, mind you; seeing my sister's proper battle prowess will be good, especially if I can ensure she doesn't get hurt – as she quickly excuses herself to depart once more, due to a need to talk to Nepgear about the group's pace on my behalf… supposedly.

"They're rather close," I say softly, watching her skip down the halls. Neptune nods, shifting back beside me as she lifts both of the cups filled with tea, offering me one. I accept it, sipping, narrowing my eyes thoughtfully. "Neptune, how the hell am I going to function at an acceptable pace tomorrow?" I whisper, cleaving my face empty of my thoughts.

"I dunno', but that was a hell of a high expectation to put on yourself. Seems like you'll need the 'ol Nep to figure this one out, huh, Workaholic Heart?" I sigh, nodding, and she pats my shoulder with her spare hand, rubbing it softly. "I'll figure something out soon, it just might be a little bit."

"Not like I have any plans other than to sleep tonight." I pause, glancing over at her for a moment. "Wait, are you all staying over for the night?"

She grins, raising an eyebrow at me with a teasing expression. "Aw yeah, my sweet Noire. We're gonna' have one hell of a slumber party in your super stuffy Basilicom."

"If you guys break anything, I'll kill all of you."

"Hey, hey, don't Nep the Nepper. I just dropped by to check on my favorite loner. Everyone else decided we'd camp out here as a group," she says matter-of-factly, and I almost feel a sense of caution at her cool responses. Did someone send me an alternate universe Neptune, or something? "Though, if there aren't enough beds, I'm crashing in here with you for the night."

"I'm not sure if I should kick you out now or humor you for a little while."

"Hey, hey! Calm down, I'll be like, super unnoticeable! You won't even be bothered by me, I swear!" She then mutters under her breath, "Not like you'd be able or even _want_ to kick me out in your condition anyway."

Pretending I didn't hear the latter half, I sigh and shake my head. "I'm _sure_ you'll be on your best behavior. If not, I'll let Uni deal with you however she wishes. That might be a good idea anyway; she might feel more confident defeating a CPU."

"Oh Nep no. I'd never lose, and I don't think you'd ever accept it since you haven't beaten me, either," she says with a happy smile, setting her tea cup down on the platter again – when did she finish or even have time to drink that, I wonder? – before resting her back against mine, and I feel her stare up at the ceiling.

I turn my head to stare out of the window, watching smoke rise from the industrial towers of Lastation in the distance, and I yawn. "Got any ideas yet?"

She pats my hand, rolling her head against my neck, and the bed shakes slightly due to, I presume, her kicking her feet absentmindedly. "I got ninety-nine ideas, man, but for you, I ain't got one."

"You've given it up, and now you've let me down. Why don't you just run around – and bother those guys then?" I grumble playfully, and she bumps her head against mine in protest. "Ouch, hey, that wasn't pleasant of you."

"I'm supposed to be the reference expert, not you. Plus, I think I'll stay right here. It's nicer."

"You're starting to seem more like Blanc."

"I don't think I could ever be Blanc even if I tried." I snort at the concept, and she shrugs. "I don't swear enough and I can't be super scary and intimidating."

I chuckle, poking her sides. "I don't think you're active enough to be like Blanc, though I'm sure she's having some problems of her own keeping up with those two."

"Really? I think I remember a chirper showing she's the least active of us."

"Impossible, the Lowee system is all about movement. I think the devs were just messing with us."

"YOU'RE NEPPING THE WALL AGAIN!"

"You started it."

"Hey, you want to play some games or something?" she asks while turning her head, her soft hair tickling my neck as I shiver at the sensation. "Oh, you okay?"

I nod, willing away the ticklish but pleased nerves. "I wouldn't mind, though I'm still feeling pretty out of it."

"I'll go easy on you, then. Here, I'll set it up," she says while sliding off the bed. I purse my lips while observing her body struggling to move as she gets things moving for us, and I sigh as I slide to the edge of the bed. She mingles with my television, gushing at the plethora of games before plugging in some platformer-shooter from Insomnia People, setting it to a co-op game campaign as she sets down beside me. I shift closer to her, smiling as she leans against me, our eyes narrowing in subconscious determination as we begin our mind-numbing relaxation.

"Hey, Neptune?" She hums softly, her eyes not leaving the television. I smile, shaking my head. "Nothing much, just… thanks, for being you and coming over." She nods, beaming, breaking her attention from the screen just briefly to stare at me with a soft, warm expression that I don't believe I've ever seen from her – but as soon as it comes, it goes, and her attention returns to the game. Passing it off as something to mull over later, I invest myself in the game, letting the current worries about Gamindustri, our nations, our futures and everyone around me just melt away… for now.

* * *

 **With this posted and said, I'll state that I'm gonna write again, though I might get waylaid with RL or games as I sometimes do, unfortunately. It's hit-or-miss and I do this for fun, so I'm sorry if it's late or an inconvenience, but I try.**

 **Dimensional Dilemma might get a re-write, though. Been thinking about it and figuring I could lay out points and writing so much better should I re-attempt it with an actual flow now. I've never really written with an end-goal in mind or a plot in mind, it just sort of evolves and usually I post it before I come back and scrap it due to personal feelings. I am gonna stick with the same concept and flow, but I do believe it might be better if I forge something more stable.**

 **Also, any advice or critiques on my writing? Is there a specific style for each of the characters when I've tried a hand at them that you find particularly preferable? Any pointers to improving my memes and references, or are they fine as is? Less or more humor? Stuff like that - if you have the time, feedback of at least some of these is a good help.**

 **And, if you ever want to shoot me ideas, one-shot concepts, story requests, or just want to chat and hit me up, feel free to at any time. I still have 9 more one-shot ideas on a checklist that I came up with last night, and have 6 projects already started that I have yet to post. Feel free to add more, since I always like playing with ideas and expanding my creativity! Just... I'm not great with OCs. I like my stories like I like my series - generally, pure. Be warned!**

 **I also might start up a mash-up of one-shots for different ships outside of the Purple and Black, later. Got Unigear ideas, Blanc/Vert ideas, and some other strange ones, but I dunno' if they're enough to make into different one-shot postings.**

Also, I do have a friend wanting me to do a DBZ story, so that might pop up here soon if I am able to binge the series a bit and play around briefly. Don't worry dude, I haven't forgotten. :D

i also want to do other series as well, but tbh Neptunia nearly everything when i have the writing urge

anyway, tainted out!


	15. One-shot 15!

**Well, kiddos, I'm here with another brief update idea. I decided to leave the end there since I'm _pretty sure_ I was either writing something like this before or saw someone else post something like this, and if so - I'm sorry to whoever. This was an idea I've had, but never really got to work on, I think. Regardless, I'll _definitely_ recommend the M rating warning to people here, since we actually got a little bit intimate this time - if that bothers you, I'd ignore this update. It's not in-depth nor anything too explicit, but it's enough to definitely require higher than a T.**

 **Anyways. I've had fun writing this, and I figured it flowed pretty well.**

 **Based on the concept of a CPU to CPU wedding, and what I'd personally believe Noire would be considering - romance of her own, the state of Gamindustri, how the nations' populaces would react, and what she'd probably do as a result of all her thinking. Might eventually expand this into a super dramatic separate story with love triangles, misunderstandings, and whatnot, but we'll see. :)**

 **But, onward! More of my personal thoughts at the bottom, if you are still interested to my ramble.**

* * *

You know, when you're a bridesmaid at your friend's wedding, it should probably feel really good and you're utterly happy for them, right? Like, it's the happiest moment for them, and they found that special someone, right?

"…Will you cherish her friendship and love her today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor her, laugh with her and cry with her? Will you uphold faith through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"

"I shall."

I blink, flicking my eyes to the left to scan over the crowd – hundreds of thousands of faces standing in awe, lust, distaste, and various other emotions look on toward those joined today for holy matrimony, and whatnot. I wonder if I look like that. I can't even sort out my own thoughts, let alone fix my facial expression.

"…Will you cherish her friendship and love her today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor her, laugh with her and cry with her? Will you uphold faith through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"

"…I shall."

It's strange, really. It isn't just _one_ friend, it's two. Two people I've known my whole life – fought with, fought against, tried to kill, protected, been protected by and just… had our ups and downs. I _am_ happy for them; don't get me wrong, but… I didn't expect them to be the first to find love, nor would I have guessed it to be in each other.

Neptune knew. She called it a long time ago when it was just her and I, talking. Girl talk and whatever. Said she knew they were video calling nightly and I was aware of consistent meetings between the nations, but, I didn't really figure it was real. And here we are, choosing something that isn't exactly normal, once again, simply because we are who we are. Will the populaces react well to this? I have my nation ready to step in on their behalf to quell any riots.

"I now pronounce you, wife and wife. I now conjoin the nations of Leanbox and Lowee with the power invested in me as the overseer of the CPUs. May your nation and life together be everlasting, prosperous and ultimately peaceful in the coming days of Gamindustri. You may now kiss your bride," Histoire adlibs a bit off of the original marriage vows, adding in the CPU-based sentences without any real effort, as well. Her smile is true, and I'd smile the same way if I was asked about those two, but… I just feel off about all of this.

Before my eyes, I watch as Vert scoops Blanc into a tight embrace as she dominates an embarrassed Blanc in a passionate but mostly innocent lip lock. I smirk, as does Histoire and Neptune on the other side of the stage, and off to my side, I hear the roars of the crowds cheering contentedly. Well, most. I'm guessing the less pleased will be less vocal however, since most of the nations' populations accepted this wholeheartedly. Amazingly, Leanbox is taking it better than Lowee's citizens, and Planeptune has been celebrating since even much beforehand. Lastation? My citizens are a bit less emotional, but they seem warm to the idea.

"Sister, there are no signs of any large-scale demonstrations or riots," Uni whispers from behind me, and I nod, waving a hand at her in thanks. "Also… what do we do now?"

"I'm not really well-versed in this either. I think I'm going to go get something to drink and put my feet up and relax. These heels are really uncomfortable at the moment. If you want, you can go mingle with everyone for yourself and on Lastation's behalf, though." I pause, turning to the newlyweds who are still half-happily and half-blushingly having an intimate moment on the stage, and I clear my throat, coughing gently to break them up – much to Vert's chagrin and Blanc's slight relief – before smiling and bowing. "I'm going to go sit and probably change into something more enjoyable, if you two lovebirds don't mind."

"Hehehe, alright, Noire. Come join us when you're ready, we're going to do some dancing and celebrating after we all reconvene, alright?" Vert sings softly, squishing Blanc against her still, who continues to look flustered into deep, but honestly happy silence. Vert looks down at her, wedged into her chest, and smirks. "You know, Blanny, I didn't think you were this big of a tsundere."

"S-shut up, you're being obnoxious. There are so many eyes…," she swallows hard, sighing, rubbing Vert's arm slowly as if it were a way to soothe her own mind. "B-But, regardless, before you go, Noire…," she clears her throat, nodding away her embarrassment, "there… are no issues, currently?"

"None. You two have nothing to worry about on a large scale, it seems," I smile at them with reassurance, and they nod in satisfaction as I turn, departing from the stage toward one of the back rooms. Ensuring no one's inside and it's far enough away from any random person stumbling in unintentionally; I quickly enter and throw myself down on a sofa, kicking off my heels before grabbing a pillow, cradling it against me.

Neptune soon pops her head in, slipping into the room as well – in her human form, surprisingly, in a fellow blue-with-green-inlays dress as she kicks her shoes off, hopping onto the sofa beside me. She throws her head back; letting out a deep sigh as her spiky, fluffy purple hair flips backward, revealing her pale skin and young face. She yawns, stretching, before pulling out a game device, flipping it open to play quietly as she rests her back against the other arm of the sofa. Her eyes flick between me and the game, and I grin and shake my head.

"You're really a dolt, you know that?" I say, finding her inability to break the silence rather amusing as I mirror her position, our legs folding in open spaces against one another on the small sofa. "What are you even playing? How'd you smuggle that past Histoire?"

"Elementary, my dear Noiretson. Never underestimate a sneak-thief! I maxed mine out at 100 and invested all the points," she replies, smirking smugly as we both chuckle quietly, watching one another's posture ease up somewhat. "You feeling any better, Solemn Heart?"

"Oh, shut up. I've been trying to keep it together for them, but this is so awkward now, it isn't even funny."

Her eyebrows rise, and she must have paused the game as she closes the screen, setting it on her stomach. "Whatcha' mean by that? The whole, 'Two of our best friends just got hitched and our group's gonna' be thinking about nothing but love for quite a while as we try to learn to adjust to their romancey mush in front of us,' thing?"

"That was exceptionally precise, but, uh, yeah. Yeah, pretty much that," I say, sighing. I scratch my head, frowning. "I don't know what to do, now. Maybe I'm supposed to find a guy now to counteract it all, but I hate to admit it, I—"

"If you find a guy, I'll Nep his ass, y'know," Neptune cuts me off abruptly, and I blink in confusion before looking at her in surprise. Did she really just do that? She shrugs, smiling an unreadable smile as her leg rubs against mine, and I shift a little, but it isn't uncomfortable. "I sorta' get the whole worry you guys have, but I don't really care for stuff like that, and neither does Planeptune. If we want to be happy, we get that right too, don't we? I know I'm going to end up with another girl, too, myself, and I know you are going to, as well."

"How can you be so sure and calm about it? What if we lose Shares and end up getting mass riots?" I counter back, feeling a pang of emotion at her words that I had long wanted to lock away – a hope, a fleeting thought of a possibility that existed long before I'm sure Blanc and Vert even felt it.

"Because we _are_ the CPUs, and we aren't all alone in anything. Really, you girls worry too much – what else are citizens going to put faith in? Our sisters, so they don't end up liking girls, too? An old hag who we've beaten into the dirt hundreds of times? Noire, even our sisters have feelings for one another, and Rom and Ram will never be old enough to understand anything. And Arfoil… no one goes for the old-lady kink anymore, man. That's gross."

"Arfoire, but I think you do that as a running gag now. But, I mean, I guess you're right, even with that stupidly silly logic. Ugh, you're such a pain in the ass sometimes." I sigh, inspecting the contents of the room now, feeling my mind beginning to unwind in ways I wasn't really prepared for. Get it together! I have Lastation and riots to consider.

"Yeah, and you adore me even so. So, what'll you do?"

"Huh?" I look over at her again, noticing her eyes deeply invested in every movement I make, like a cat watching its prey with interested, hungry eyes. I gulp quietly, and let out a shaky breath, feeling overwhelmed. "What… do you mean?"

"What're you going to do about the whole romance thing?" she asks plainly, her foot rubbing against my thigh, and I shiver.

"I… think I'll wait a bit and go about it after I've had time to let my mind…," I trail off as she sits up, her legs tucking under her as she crawls over to me slowly, setting herself between my legs as she lays on me, smiling darkly. "You're… being… too… lose…"

"Whaaat? Noire, I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm just listening. After all," she chuckles in her honestly Neptune way, as she runs a finger absentmindedly along my collarbone, her eyes still darkly content, "I'm always around for you."

I feel my breath catch at her words and my heart makes an unsteady pang as if still highly uncertain about everything, and I tilt my head off to the side, focusing on anything else. Anything, anything, come on…! Wait, wait… "Uh… Hey, Neptune…"

"Mmm?"

"Where'd your handheld go?"

She pauses her finger, and I look over, noticing her eyes open wide as she sits up, patting her outfit and checking her thighs, her demeanor now frantic instead of… _that_. "Oh, crap! Where'd it go, where'd it go?! I _just_ paid for that! No, no, no, _I still need to find out if I can get Alicia and Fie together!_ "

I look over the side of the sofa and smirk, tapping her arm to grab her attention – her head whirling around in sheer Neptune absurdity as I point quietly toward the floor, watching her push my leg down to search; a few moments pass, my nerves really uncomfortable at her careless weight on them, before she exclaims happily, fishing it off the floor to cradle against her in relief. "You really are the biggest idiot I've ever met," I remark amusedly, grinning at her.

"Shut up! I must have the truth! I will mod this game to oblivion if there is no Yuri route!"

I blink, sitting up slightly to inspect the handheld, earning her attention again. "Is that… the new Lastation Ita? What, are you playing Trails of Warm Steel from the Legendary Heroines series?" She nods, and I snort. "Yeah, there are plenty of romance routes – pretty much _every_ character has a semi-romance, but it doesn't become prevalent until in a few months when the next game comes out."

" **WHAAAAT?** "

"Hey, not so loud, jeez, my ears…," I wince uncomfortably, shaking away the slight pain as I pat her head, ruffling her hair. "I'll reserve you a copy when it's going public, or you can help me test-run the beta when they ask. Does that sound alright?"

She gasps, spinning around as she tackles me, hugging me closely. "Noire, I love you!"

My heart pangs again at her words, and I can't even tell if they're sincere anymore or if they're a joke. I pat her head, running my fingers through her hair as I sigh, shaking my head. "If getting you a game you like is all it takes, then maybe I wouldn't have been having so many problems…"

"…Oh?"

Wait a minute. "Wait a minute… I didn't just… Say…"

"Say out loud that you have had problems getting me to say how I love you? Oh, yeah, you did."

"…Aaaah… shit… uh, well…" My mind's blank. It's just entirely blank, now. I can't even get another word out, and I'm sure from the heat I'm feeling that it's not just Neptune hugging me, and I can't even think besides basic reasoning.

"Hey, Noire," Neptune starts again, inching up on my body with that same dark look in her eyes as before, and I can't even vocally respond so I look down at her instead. "Cat got your tongue? That's okay, since I'll just enjoy this, then." Enjoy… what… exactly?

I gasp suddenly, feeling her tongue running along my collarbone as gentle kisses follow suit, and I shiver. I try to move slightly, but quickly come to realize she's straddled me, my arm not on her head pinned under her thigh. She smirks, chuckling softly as she grabs my other arm off her head by the wrist, trapping it under her right hand, leaving me utterly defenseless.

I manage out a whimper, but she shakes her head, bringing her face close as she pecks my cheek before moving her head toward my ear, and I gasp as a wet sensation I can only guess to be her tongue begins running around the inner parts of my ear. I wince and shiver, feeling spikes of pleasure and satisfaction surging through me, and it must be the same for her as her hips are grinding on mine. Ah…

Her hand traces my lips, and she lifts her head to watch as she does so, her eyes dark with a plethora of emotions I'd never have expected out of her. "Hey… Noire…" I tilt my head weakly toward her, and she giggles. "You're so cute like this. I just wanted to tell you, well…" Her lips replace her finger, and my eyes widen in a mixture of surprise and bliss. It's just a spark of lightning, really, and it ignites my entire body at once – the lavender smell of her hair, the slight hint of sweat from moving around, the soft, indescribable feeling of her lips, and… and… "I'm pretty sure I love you too," she whispers quietly before pressing the kiss again, her tongue easily wrapping around mine, claiming it as her own.

I feel the tears streaming from my eyes, I don't even need to open them to know that Neptune's well aware of them too, and I submit to her contentedly as her hand cups my cheek gently. I hear her giggle once in a happy tone, too, but can't move my body at all as her fingers wipe away the tears carefully, and then trace down my face gingerly. My nerves are on fire, I feel the tip of her nail only minimally scraping my skin as her fingertip squishes against me, and it's just… such a wonderful feeling. It doesn't hurt, it doesn't tickle, and it just feels _good_.

The kiss breaks, and I open my mouth and eyes to protest, but find a finger shushing me into silence with a satisfied Neptune grinding on me again. I try to look inquisitive, and it seems to work as she smiles. "I need my mouth for other things, so I'm sorry about that, my Noire," she answers quietly, slipping my dress' right strap down and off while guiding my hand under her thighs beside my other one to be wholly pinned above my head. She giggles, "You made that way easier than I expected. You really want this, too, huh?"

I open my mouth to protest, but quickly gasp and end up biting my tongue as her free hand cups my breast suddenly, her thumb flicking my nipple. When did she get my bra off? I wince, failing to glare at her as she flashes me a look of apology, and my anger melts away instantly. Ugh, stupid, stupid, sexy Neptune…

Her expression is blissful as she softly kneads her fingers into my chest, cupping and squeezing me gingerly while always keeping a finger open to toy with me. I keep feeling inexplicable pleasure throughout my entire body every time she touches me, and I jump every time her fingers press against, rub, or flick me, and I hear myself whimpering endlessly at her touch.

Footsteps coming down the hall toward this room cause both of our ears to perk, and she instinctively slides off of me back onto the sofa as I sit up, struggling to pull my strap up, watching her hide my missing article of clothing under the pillow squished between her and the sofa. I narrow my eyes, staring at her in disbelief, but she chuckles and shrugs, sticking her tongue out at me.

"You're… paying for that… later…," I manage to mutter out, and she shivers in response – which, of course, causes me to do the same. "Ugh, you're… an idiot."

"You love me."

The door opens, revealing Blanc carrying Vert bridal style into the room before throwing her softly into the sofa adjacent ours. The two notice us only after a few moments of what seems to be the prelude to, well, an intimate romp, and I flush red and cough to grab their attention. Blanc's face turns to the same shade as mine as she collapses on the seat beside Vert, and Vert giggles before sitting up and fixing her outfit, pulling Blanc against her side, her fingers tracing circles on her shoulder.

"You know, you guys are a little early for the honeymoon," Neptune remarks, her face slightly dusted red as well. She laughs, sighing. "That was actually sorta' uncomfortable, even for me."

"S-shut up. I-if you tell _anyone_ , I'll _kill_ you."

"You touch me, Noire'll kill ya'," Neptune replies matter-of-factly, and I smirk, holding myself as elegantly as possible to avoid bringing attention to my missing bra. My body's yet to settle down due to her close proximity, and it's frustrating me to no end. Why is a simple touch doing this to me?

"Well, the only one that gets to kill this moron is me, yeah," I say, smirking as I extend my right hand, pinching her neck as she hollers out in pain. "You deserve all the karmic retribution in the world."

"Are you feeling better, Noire?" Vert asks, her motherly tone showing its head, and I smile at her reassuringly, nodding. She lets out a breath of relief, returning my gesture. "I'm glad. Blanny and I have been quite worried about you, especially since we felt you would feel the most obligated to try and handle any of the whiplashes from this by yourself. If anything begins to happen, tell us so we can tackle this as a group, understood?"

"I… will try. Neptune beat you to that talk," I say, sighing.

"Yeah, well, Noire's _mine_ and I won't let _anyone_ in Gamindustri tell her that she has to choose a crappy choice just for our population to be happy. This is _our_ happiness, the four of us earned that, y'know?"

Vert smirks smugly, staring at me with questioning yet knowing eyes, crossing her arms after releasing Blanc. " _Oh?_ Is that a formal declaration of love and ownership, Neptune? Does Noire agree with this?"

All eyes on the room fall on me, and the color of a ripe tomato doesn't even begin to _describe_ my face right now. I bury my face in a pillow, but nod weakly as the room erupts in cheers and exclamations of surprise. Neptune wraps an arm around me, and I _know_ she's grinning stupidly, and Blanc sets a hand on my shoulder in a mutual understanding. Vert pushes past both of them, hugging me happily as she pats my head, and I struggle to avoid suffocating in her embrace, but I do end up returning it.

"Ugh! You guys… are really… so annoying!" I exclaim as Neptune and Blanc join in the group hug, with everyone else chuckling.

"And you'll never get rid of us, now will you?" they say, and it takes me a moment, but I smile, closing my eyes as I move my arms to wrap around as much of all of them as possible. Sighing contentedly, I nod.

"I wouldn't… have that any other way, really."

* * *

 **Pretty sure Neptune _would_ get territorial and pushy about her push-and-pull relationship with Noire if she knew her favorite Tsun Heart would try to move forward with someone else instead of her. Pretty sure Neptune makes a good top and Noire really does fit a good bottom, but I do like my Noires being a bit more outspoken and vocal and dominating. Both are canon, too, though, since the games depict Noire being willing to 'punish' people frequently if need be. Who needs Iris Heart's pure dom when you have the perfect balance in Noire? Endless possibilities, and endless cosplay.**

 **The ending might be a bit brief, but I think it turned out.**

Also, toward a few of the reviewers, since you guys are awesome and always around -

\- Cap: What'd you mean by a 'word wall'? Is it my paragraph spacing and whatnot, or do you not like the way I wrote the last update? Was trying to figure out if I need to space less or if they're fine as is, and if it isn't that, well, I do apologize since my writing fluctuates quite a bit.

\- Gig: I never understood why Gamindustri suddenly swapped from Rebirth V1 to V2, but I like to usually try to relate them mentally, unfortunately, since the Rebirth V2 explanation sort of felt like a cop-out. I mean, suddenly falling, no amnesia, Compa and IF are just suddenly best friends, and no real explanation of how the CPUs came to be close friends was really... eh. But, thank you. I ought to just keep writing my usual way, then? Also, thanks for being here since the get-go. You're awesome. :)

\- Chaos: Will check out that story later today, probably. Need more Neptune/Noire stuff, but I'm scared to read other people's stuff in case I realize I somehow copied their ideas when I've been writing without any references from other people, or stepped on their toes somehow otherwise. Regardless, I do think I might continue with stories like Chap14, since I did really enjoy writing them like long-time friends and slightly more, but not entirely eager to hop the boundary yet. Not sure what parts or if I'll just continue where Chap14 left off, but Rebirth V2 did give plenty of room for contemplation and FFs, as did V3. Megadimension, I've yet to push through - just got AdultNep, and I've been having a riot running around with her atm.


	16. Possibly OS-16: No Rest for the Noire

**Heya, heya, heya. Tainted here, or Klelthin, y'know, me. Back with something new, something fun and something... maybe with a continuation? Hard to tell, really. Anyway, I haven't been doing too much lately due to playing Megadimension a bit more and also doing some Mass Effect and some Dead Space replays, alongside a lot of real life randomosity that I can only describe as being truly meme-worthy, and whatnot. Yeah, it's been pretty much the same as always. Whoops.**

 **Regardless, I think FOR NOW, I am putting this into my one-shots uploads since I have no idea if I'm picking this up for further writing or not, especially until I finish MDNV2, so we'll have to see. Though, I am having quite a bit of fun with it, and honestly, I also know I ought to write from multiple character POVs to add some side-interests and side-development, but honestly, I think people know by now - I like writing as Noire. Her character has so much potential that people can see but rarely tap beyond the generic Tsundere role that either blindly follows Neptune, gets molested by someone, falls in love super easy with some random OC, or just acts as the general butt of everyone's jokes. I think I even reference that in here somewhere. Anyway, this isn't super serious nor is it super lighthearted, it was just a lot of dribble that came about as I was having fun writing it along the way both on my phone and on my computer. Google docs are amazing.**

 **Set leading up to the MDNV2 story with the whole CPU Shift thing. I have a _lot_ of untapped potential in writing around this time period, really. Even more-so than playing with the Superdimension and the Hyperdimension stuff. Finally learning the difference, too! More of my droning at the bottom if you want to read it.**

 **Without further ado, onward!**

* * *

I stir unpleasantly from a restless sleep to the presence of sunlight streaming through onto my face from one of my office windows. I yawn, grumbling silently to myself that it was highly inconsiderate of the morning to come so early - after all, I had only _just_ found a comfortable position on my desk to nap on. Having pushed myself through the night to launch a new project that should technically revolutionize Gamindustri's electronic software markets by leagues, I admittedly was hoping to earn a few hours of rest before morning, but, apparently…

I sigh, lifting my head tiredly as I lift a hand to my eye, rubbing it. A soft knock sounds at the door, and I instantaneously recognize it to be Uni's, and I yawn as she enters. Opening my eyes fully, now, I nod to her with a soft smile and she does the same, approaching.

"Hey, Uni. Good morning. What time is it?" I ask, looking down at the paperwork for a few moments, scanning it for coherency and completion and then nodding in satisfaction at it before returning my gaze to the petite form of my younger sister.

"Good morning, sis. You should go get some real rest. It's six in the morning," she replies, settling into one of the chairs adjacent my desk, crossing her hands while watching me. "You really look tired, today."

I shrug, smiling reassuringly at her. "I'm alright. I finished the new project, so we might have a couple weeks of less paperwork than usual, again. I just need some tea or coffee and then I'll be alright."

She nods, rising to her feet as soon as I finish speaking. "Which one do you want?"

"You don't have to, but… maybe some tea would be lovely." She bows with a warm expression of her own, turning to go start brewing some. "Make some for yourself, too, though, okay?"

"Of course, sis. I'll be right back. Should I have one of the staff come grab the papers…? Yeah, I will."

"Alright, thanks, Uni. I appreciate it," I say contentedly, watching her face flush with embarrassment before acknowledging my words and departing back out of the room. Newly left alone, I raise my arms behind my back, stretching as I yawn pleasantly, blinking away some of the fatigue. Opting to get up, I set myself on my feet, standing up to head off to one of the many clear, reinforced grand windows overlooking the heart of Lastation. Sliding a leg onto the windowsill, I lean against the pane, gazing out with tired but proud eyes. People may say that I work too hard or too often, but when I think of all the lives that improve from my effort, how can I stand by idly?

Perhaps, though, that's why Uni seems to be straying to Planeptune and Lowee more and more, though. I tend to not consider how she is technically an early-to-middle teenage girl with a bright personality of her own, often being too focused on how efficient and reliably superb we are as a team for the sake of Lastation. Maybe… I should give her time off? But, I've approached that topic before and she has gotten irritable, so I'm somewhat at a loss. Yet, she bears a lot of work, and a lot of stress on her shoulders as my sister, and she always seems so unflinchingly anxious to catch up to my work-based tendencies. Yeah, I should convince her to take time off and relax.

She returns a few minutes later, carrying a small tray laden with our cups and an ornate white-and-gold teapot. Her cup came from a small business here in Lastation, being plain yet well-made and heatproof for ease of use - another reason for my concern; she focuses far more on practicality than beauty altogether. Mine is… nearly identical, really. The only designs inlaid into both of our cups are elaborate line patterns in white. Maybe I shouldn't judge too much…

"It's rare to see you in the window, sis. Is something wrong?" she asks with a frown. She sets the tray on a small table sitting in between both of our desks, settling into one of the two chairs on opposing sides of said table. Without missing a beat, she begins gently pouring some for both of us, as if the act was perfectly routine.

I shake my head, sliding off the sill, joining her at the table. I stare at her softly for a few moments, contemplating. "Uni, do you want more time to spend with your friends?"

Having caught her in the middle of taking a sip, I watch as she jumps in surprise as she puffs her cheeks in an attempt to prevent spitting out her tea. Her face goes through a myriad of expressions before composing to a certain degree, to which she then swallows hard and sets the cup down quietly, her eyes widening to peer at me with a strange look in them. "What brought that on, sis? I'm perfectly fine to keep working."

I nod, frowning. "Yes, I am well aware of how honestly competent you are and how proud I am of what you are capable of, however… Uni, you need to take breaks and experience your time as an ordinary girl while you still have it. We're currently at peace, for the most part, and you are not the patron CPU of Lastation - you could, perhaps…"

I trail off in response to an upset glare from my younger sister, who clicks her tongue in annoyance. She crosses her arms, eying me as she responds flatly, "No. With all due respect, sis, _I'm_ not the one that needs a break."

"I'm perfectly fine, though, Uni. This is normal for me," I remark, and she sighs sadly, hanging her head in dismay. I feel a small surge of anger, narrowing my eyes, "Lastation never stops advancing, so I can't, either. _You know that._ "

"Yes, I'm well aware, and I won't go have fun when my sister's locked away in her office, working every minute of every day!" she shouts, rising to her feet with a pained expression. She averts her eyes to stare out of the window, her hands shaking slightly. "I _hate_ watching you shoulder everything by yourself all the time, sister. I want to help more."

A cough from beside us comes, causing both of us to jump and shift our attention to a timid-seeming Basilicom staff member. He's standing across from my desk, and I nod silently as Uni and I head to my workspace simultaneously to sift through it, gathering and sorting the papers. She smiles weakly at me, handing me a small stack of papers to which I quickly look them over, nodding to her. She steps back, wrapping a hand around herself as she leans against the window that I had been staring out of earlier, her eyes distant and clouded with thought. Turning my attention to the man, I hand him the completed assignment and give him some quick direction on handling it, and he salutes, turning to leave… or so I expected, but he nods and opens his mouth to say, "W-with all due respect, Lady Noire, I must pass on the report that Lady Neptune and Lady Vert have also been leaving messages at the entrance of the Basilicom, requesting your time whenever available." Bowing, he smiles nervously and excuses himself, departing now.

"I'm not the only one worried, sister," Uni mutters, sighing quietly.

Thinking objectively, I might really share a lot more qualities with Uni than I sometimes consider - such as her stubborn attitude. Sighing with a grin, I place a hand on my hip as I walk over to her, setting a hand on her shoulder. She looks over at me skeptically, still frowning, but I'm also exceptionally aware of how intently her eyes are trained on me. Contemplating my words for a moment, I slowly start, "Well, Uni… if _Vert's_ coming around to check on me, then perhaps we are in need of a break. Want to head out somewhere?"

Her eyes widen and her jaw drops as her body spins to face me, a hand rising to rest against my forehead. Offering her a skeptical and questioning look, she sighs with a nervous smirk. "Are you really my sister? I never thought I'd hear you ask for us to go do anything, really."

" _You_ hang around Neptune too much lately, then. I'm not _that_ bad, really." She opens her mouth to respond with something, but a threatening look from me causes her to close her lips again, and we both chuckle quietly. "Well, if you want to go get ready, I'll have the guards send out a message to the other Basilicoms. Where should we head?"

Her eyes light up, obviously meaning she has something specific in mind. She clasps her hands around mine, and I stare at her in confusion. "I know, I know! Nepgear and I found the most interesting place while out doing some quests for the Guild a few weeks ago! I'll tell them where to have everyone meet, so just give me a few moments to get ready!"

Wow, she broke her casual disinterest for everything at the drop of a hat. I wonder if I just signed myself up for something sinister… ah, it can't be terrible, really, since it's Uni. Better than letting one of the other three CPUs pick somewhere, after all. God knows where Neptune would have us go, and Blanc and Vert would just have us sit and read or play an online game for days on end…

Watching as she excitedly races out of the room, I frown. Should I just wear my normal outfit? I could use a quick refresher to sort out the wrinkles in my dress and the presumable bags under my eyes. Nodding to myself, I slip into my personal room that lies off to the side of the office, closing and locking the door quietly behind me. Stepping forward, I scan over the various outfits and small piles of games organized adequately over a multitude of shelves and closets, expertly picking out another of my dresses to wear. Hurriedly exchanging outfits, I finish fixing my garter belts and shoes as Uni's footsteps return to the office. Standing, I exit the room - taking care to lock it behind me, of course - as I smile at her, who cocks an eyebrow.

"Are you ready, then?" I ask, coughing to mask my embarrassment. I blink, noticing she has a small bag in her hands, and I offer her a questioning look. "Uni?"

She hides the bag behind her back, nodding. "Yeah. I already told the guards, too. Follow me, sis," she says while grinning. I sigh, my expectations for this trip to be entirely harmless evaporating as quickly as they had come. She pivots on her heel, skipping ahead of me as I pace after her, matching her speed easily. Good thing my legs are longer than hers, really, as she is moving rather quickly considering her usual gait.

"So, where are we going? Which continent?" I inquire after a few minutes of silence, listening to her hum quietly. Her head turns slightly toward me, her lips upturned with a smirk.

"Nepgear and I had uncovered a new establishment that popped up recently over on that weird 'Hello Continent', that, well…"

"That the game devs never particularly reference or utilize for more than a couple random areas outside of our main adventures to go to?" I say, watching her shoot me a reprimanding look. I chuckle, shrugging, "It's true and you know it, Uni - though, I don't recall there being anything besides resorts and a lot of uncharted territory, even here in our dimension."

"That's true, but someone actually made a resort that is slowly becoming more popular. We ended up helping fund it, so why don't we enjoy a break with everyone together? Ah, uh… not that I care if everyone shows up, since they're really noisy and annoying half the time."

I raise an eyebrow. "Who did you invite, and wouldn't we need swimsuits… ah, _that's_ what's in the bag, isn't it?" She nods. "So… answer my first question."

She stops instantaneously, turning to flash me an apologetic expression. "Everyone. They'd of found out even if I didn't contact them all."

I sigh, placing a hand on my hip as I frown. "Does that mean that we also have everyone from the Ultradimension showing up, as well?" She nods again. "Does the creator even know what to do with all of the extra personalities?" **(Who knows?)** "I don't like your vote of confidence."

"Who are you even talking to, sis? Maybe _you're_ hanging around that blockhead too much," Uni remarks, returning to walking at the same pace as before. "But, I think it would be good for everyone to take a break now and then. After all, doesn't the CPU Shift period start soon?"

I freeze, finding a chill running down my spine as I let out a shaky breath, nodding. Uni seems to have noticed this, unfortunately, and I hurriedly correct my posture and expression for her sake. "...Yeah," I start, taking a deep breath, "it does, soon. Okay, maybe a bit of rest won't hurt. Not that the Ultradimension will have the same problem."

"Y-yeah, you're right. Anyway, the transport to get us over there should be right up ahead, so why don't we get on and relax?" she says, attempting to change the topic as best she can. Nodding quietly, we board one of the many classic dark Lastation sea vessels as we settle into chairs overlooking the railings, watching the waves. Uni's eyes remain on me, and I smile at her, shaking my head.

Remember, Noire - stay positive, stay reassuring, stay confident. Uni doesn't need to worry about this so much. You can do this. Maybe having her spend some time with everyone will allow her to unwind a bit. Hopefully.

 **An average length of a boat-ride with the usual amount of chatter between two Lastation sisters later…**

"That's one hell of a cop-out," I remark with Uni nodding as we both fold our arms. "You could at least try a _bit_ harder. Ah, whatever. Has anyone else arrived yet?" I inquire from one of the dockworkers who shrugs.

"I dunno', you're the first in a few days. Haven't seen anyone else yet."

"Thank you, where should we go while we wait for our friends?"

"Probably go head up to the resort or something, lady. I dunno'."

"...Thanks. Alright, Uni, let's go," I say with a frown, bowing farewell to the ship crew while choosing to ignore the unpleasant attitude of the dockworker. She answers me with a sound, and we set off walking. Glancing around, I'm quickly taken in by the serene appearance of the soft speckle of trees across the sunlit path, casting bits and pieces of shade akin to that of multiple anime nature scenes. "Wow."

Uni steps ahead of me, spinning on her foot. "Nice, isn't it? We're heading through the southwest edge of the forest to the resort, which is on the western side of the continent. We shouldn't have to walk very far, though Nepgear really thought this forest was beautiful, and I can't say I disagreed."

"You should report stuff like this to me sooner, Uni. I could have used this as an inspirational bartering chip for Lowee cooperation on a few different projects," I scold her gently, watching her face shift between both groans and amusement, which in turn amuses me enough to smirk. "We may be friends, but we missed out on a good deal."

"Sorry, sister. I'll be more careful from now on, okay?" she responds, and I nod as we quietly travel the length of the forest, admiring the serene beauty of it all. Casting an eye toward her face, I note the deep contentment on her face, and it occurs to me for the first time that Uni's relationship with Nepgear is somewhat familiar of Neptune and I's… though probably healthier. Every time I see them, the two argue somewhat, but Uni's expressions soften like this and her entire air just seems more satisfied. I noticed the same in myself a long time ago, though I'd never care to admit this to anyone else - the resulting teasing or reaction would be both embarrassing and infuriating.

Regardless, the resort comes into view - an old traditional-style bathhouse of sorts at the center of what could be considered a small town. Long lines of festival-like booths stretch outward in every direction in rows from the main building, with moderate restaurants and other various entertainment buildings also posted in this central zone. Closer to the sea, it all disappears and becomes a multi-tiered sandy beach with extravagant overlook of sorts, seeming almost destined for romantic confessions and interactions… but then again… "Uni, is this place mainly for couples?"

Flicking an eye over to my younger sister, I acknowledge her scarlet face and fidgety posture and sigh. "The Nepboards will be positively _humming_ with gossip about this for ages to come," I grumble, and she stutters in an attempt to apologize, but I smile at her. "You only had good intentions, so you can't really be held responsible. Just remember to not accept any drinks from strangers, okay?"

"R-right."

Moving into the main building, we're greeted by an unimportant weighty man who will remain entirely unnamed besides being the mentioned manager intermittently, who we nod to, speaking with as amicably as possible.

"Hello, we are…"

"Ladies of Lastation, most humble welcome to our fine resort. You wish to claim the suite, yes?"

I blink, pausing. "Um, if they're not being…"

"Understood, we will see them all ready. How many other parties will be arriving? Shall we schedule routine cleaning and around-the-clock service? Are there any other requests you would like to make? Ah, shall we carry your luggage? Hm, do you wish to make a complaint of any employee behavior?"

The conversation goes about as well as can be expected with the man repeatedly cutting both Uni and myself off as he signs us up for a long list of free benefits for our stay. He even goes so far as to reserve us the suite for the next week, dedicating an entire segment of his staff to serving us - to which he did not take _No_ for an answer. Thoroughly exhausted and flustered, we opted to head up to the suite to sit and unwind for some time. Turns out, the suite really _is_ pretty nice; it's reminiscent of one of our older Basilicom designs with how it's highly ornate, spacious and set up for a lot of exceptional comfort.

"They really went all-out, huh…," Uni remarks, inspecting what seems to be an antique table sitting by the entryway, running her fingers along the dark wood's grooves and inlays. "Wow, I didn't know there were people rich enough to fund something like this."

"Chances are, they probably aren't. I get the feeling that the people here are a bit sketchy and we'll end up dealing with it later, and that's not even a meta wall-breaking statement," I say tiredly, falling back comfortably into the plush C-shaped couch sitting on a small rise from the main floor. Giant panes of glass acting as windows stand behind me, allowing a ton of sunlight to stream through, making me feel a tad warm, actually. Ah… "Uni, could you do me a favor, actually, before we get comfortable?"

"Sure, what's up?" she asks, already tinkering with the surveillance systems beside me, and I smile. I shake my head, earning a soft chuckle from her. "Yeah, I'm already checking this out. I'll check each of the rooms to ensure we aren't being tracked."

"Thank you, Uni. I think I'm going to sit for a few minutes and rest, alright?" She nods, frowning at the camera she opened up, looking down at her toolbelt. "What's wrong?"

"We might need Nepgear to help me figure out the specifics of these things," she answers, sighing quietly. Stepping away from the camera, she leaves the box overlooking it open without much sympathy for the equipment as she settles down beside me, yawning. "The door's locked and they'll give everyone else a key, right, sis?"

"Yeah. It might be good to catch some rest before things get busy again," I say, my eyes closing somewhat as I lay back against the pillows, feeling Uni rest her head on my lap to do the same. "Hopefully we won't sleep too late."

Slipping into a gentle lull, my body seems reluctant to actually doze off, so I simply just rest while listening to Uni's slow breathing and the warmth coming over us from the sun's rays as I relax. Opting to not think too much, I just sit until I hear the door click open. Opening my eyes and shifting my head slightly, I center my attention on, firstly, myself who notices me as well.

"Ah, uh, of course you two would be here first. Hello, um, sorry if we woke you up. Hey, Plutia, Nepgear, hurry up and leave that dolt to handle her own mess!" she calls down the hall, and I hear a myriad of mixed responses as she sighs, her shoulders sagging as she shifts her attention to the room. "I'm not entirely sure about all of the habits your dimension has, yet, but…"

"The staff's weird, yeah. Keep your voice down, Uni's trying to sleep," I say quietly, and she nods as she approaches us silently, taking a seat beside the two of us. "When Uni's up, she and Nepgear will be taking a look at those cameras to ensure we won't be having any particular issues, as well."

She bobs her head in agreement, and I find myself wondering whether or not I really look all that good with those pigtails, at the moment. "Yeah, that'd be great, since…," she shudders, clasping her arms to herself as she stares skeptically at the cameras, "...we don't need more perverts watching us all the time."

"It's probably due to the CPU Shift, people need to keep their eyes on us at all times," I say flatly, frowning. My other self seems to notice my tone on this matter - though if she didn't, I'd be worried, honestly - as she offers me an apologetic look. "If anything happens to me, take care of Uni, alright?"

"Of course. My Lastation will always welcome both of you if you need me." At the sound of something slamming closed or breaking, we both turn our attention to the door with displeased expressions.

"Heyyyy~, it's the other Noire~," Plutia remarks, entwining her fingers together as she waddles into the room, smiling airily. She paces over to us, leaning forward while swaying softly to observe us with interest, her eyes flicking over to Uni who seems to be stirring unhappily now. "I'm seeing double~, are one of you clones?~"

"No, we are not," we say simultaneously as I run my hand through Uni's hair as she wakes up again, offering me an inquiring look. "Seems Planeptune's turned up, Uni. Sorry about them waking you."

"It's fine, it's… fine," she says, yawning quietly as she rises from my lap. She rubs an eye, noticing Plutia while narrowing her eyes. Straightening instantaneously, she blinks awkwardly, I think that is. "H-hello, nice to see you again, Plutia."

"Hello~ other Noire's sister~, thank you for inviting me~."

"Yeah! Heya, Noire, Uni, good to see you broke the loner streak! 'Ol Nep here was planning to infiltrate your Basilicom all Th*ef-like, with a claw and everything!" Neptune chirps up, appearing from nowhere as her head appears between my other self and I's. God, that's so weird to say and think. "You might be mostly friendless, Noire, but Uni can still be saved, you know?"

"Oh, shut up, I had things I had to prioritize," I say flatly, glaring at Neptune who smirks, sticking her tongue out to hop away, running off to go check out each of the rooms. Shifting my attention to Nepgear who seems to have shown up as quietly as her sister did, I smile sympathetically at her fatigued expression. "I hate to bother you, Nepgear, but could you and Uni check those cameras out in each of the rooms, and maybe…?"

Uni nods, jumping to a stand as she grabs Nepgear's hand, dragging her away before the girl can utter a single word's response, leaving me to watch Plutia and the other me interact. They're currently chattering about swimming and Plutia seems to be teasing her about what sounds like a date, and I yawn quietly. Ignoring them to an extent, I gaze out of the window, wondering if I even ought to be here when Lastation could still be improving even now. The new period's coming and frankly, I know for a fact that we may truly not be prepared enough to weather it. Perhaps I ought to invest in investigation and public relation teams to combat these sorts of problems… Actually, that's not a bad idea - and maybe have a response team to handle any riots or epidemics even when I'm out dealing with something. Yeah, that might be a great implication for Lastation's foreseeable future.

Noticing a hand waving in front of my face, I snap back into reality to see both my other self and Plutia watching me with questioning eyes. I force an awkward chuckle, holding up my hands to wave their attention away. "I'm fine, I'm fine, just zoned out for a minute, sorry."

"Are you sure~, I can take a look at you if you want~," Plutia suggests, though the other me seems utterly horrified by this statement. "Aww, my Noire~, why can't I play with the other Noire~?"

"I'm alright, really. I don't really feel up to whatever you were suggesting anyway. I just have a lot on my mind recently, so you'll have to ignore it - I think I might go and lay down, so I'll be back later. Be sure to greet Blanc, Vert, and… you guys' versions of them, too. They should be along soon enough as well," I say, rising steadily for the most part as Plutia makes a long, drawn-out sound of disapproval. Ignoring it as I nod to the two of them, I turn and exit the C-shaped couch, heading up the small stairwell leading to the second floor of the suite where the rooms are. Passing by Neptune who offers me a strange expression and then Uni and Nepgear who look on with worry, I sigh and shake my head, attempting to ignore all of it. Can't I worry about Lastation's future without _everyone_ getting on me about it?

Opening one of the doors, I notice the walls are dark in color and the room is designed with a Lastation theme to it - how wonderful of the creepy owner to consider our _tastes_ in even our bedrooms. Ugh, disgusting. Sighing irritably, I close the door and instead opt for… Planeptune's bedroom. The pink-and-purple colors and more lighthearted theme are far easier on the eyes and it feels more like a regular room than mine. Kicking off my shoes into one of the room's corners, I ignore most of the decor and just opt to flop onto the bed, yawning as I bury my face in one of the pillows.

"Is your sister okay, Uni?" I hear Nepgear asking from a small distance away, and I groan into the pillow, trying to bury my face further. "She seems really overwork…"

"I _know,_ okay? I _know_ Noire isn't being herself, let it _go_ already. She's working around the clock to make sure Lastation's ready for this stupid Shift period, and she just got done spending three days working on some paperwork nonstop to increase the security, performance and overall interface of both our consoles and our databases by about one-hundred and eighty percent. She even thought it's only been one day, so just leave her alone, already," Uni responds angrily, and I hear the two mumbling to one another now, the words inaudible.

Was it really three days? I could have sworn I started it only at two in the afternoon yesterday, which was the… ah, crap, thinking about the date written on the forms here and the date I started, Uni was right. Okay, maybe _that's_ why I've been so tired, and yet I can't even sleep. Maybe I should have chosen coffee after all - it doesn't work as well as tea does.

There's a clamor somewhere in the room, and I hear Uni and Neptune arguing, but I can't even really tell about what, exactly. Sighing, I roll over to stare at the ceiling. How does she do it, I wonder? That confident, thoughtless, carefree facade she exudes all of the time - how does she keep it up so flawlessly? As if I wouldn't notice she's just as worried about these things as I am, what with how long I've dealt with her crap. Maybe I should ask her for her stance on the Shift period over the course of this week.

I hear the main entryway door open again, and I recognize the overbearing attempt at maturity in both Verts' tones immediately even without hearing what they say. Ugh, she sometimes needs to learn to quit trying to be our older sister, sincerely - just because she has none of her own does not mean that her antics always help our group. And… yeah, there's the familiar Nepgear squeal as Leanbox attempts to steal Planeptune's candidate. Damn, I could write stories about these girls' behavior with my eyes closed.

It's not Vert's fault that I'm irritable, really. I shouldn't think too mean of thoughts against her or anyone else, it's just… _I'm_ just exhausted. There's too much to worry about to unwind and pretend everything is absolutely perfect everywhere.

The door to my room clicks, opening quietly as I hear the footsteps of two different people - and judging by the stealthy pacing and clumsy stomps, I _know_ it's myself and Plutia. Uni hasn't perfected her walk due to her boots' high heels, and Neptune's actually far quieter than Plutia, so that rules her out, as well.

"Plutia, I _really_ don't think bothering her is a good idea. Especially not right now. _And for the love of all things, don't transform,_ " I hear myself-her trying to say quickly and quietly, noting the panic in my-her voice. Yeah, I'll just call the other me that, from now on, when referring to her.

"She's too uptight~, she was mean~, she needs to learn~," Plutia responds, her tone suddenly far more dangerous and sultry than her usual airy ways. Opening my eyes, I stare directly into her unsettling eyes as she clasps her hands together, letting out a sound of… surprise, I think. "Ooohh~, Noire, she's up~!"

"If you lay even one Goddess-damned finger on me, I _will_ cut you, Plutia," I say, growing irritated. Setting aside the feeling of dread in my stomach, I watch her as her eyebrows rise and the other me's eyes widen in horror. "I don't care _how_ you've managed to terrify everyone else, but I am _not_ dealing with this crap right now."

"No one's terrified~, everyone's great friends besides you~, why are you so mean?~"

"I have more important things to consider than just being everyone's buddy. Not that I necessarily expect you to get that."

"Oh?" her eyes sharpen as she flicks her tongue over her lip, her expression darkening.

"Ah, ah! Look, look, Plutia, me, calm down, okay? Let's all just relax, and Plutia, let's go… please?" I-her try to defuse the situation with exceptional alarm and fear as she tries to step between us.

"No, the other Noire's being a meanie. She needs to be taught a lesson… in manners."

Standing up on the adjacent side of the bed, I narrow my eyes, watching Plutia with my other self attempting to cool her off. Crossing my arms, I sigh. "I'm often quite agreeable, I just can't go along being careless like your dimension can. There is a lot at stake at the moment, whether you all understand it or not."

"Oh? What's going on in he…," Vert starts, stopping in the doorway as she stares on with a strange expression. "...Noire, might I ask what is going on?"

"Plutia seems to have an issue with me needing rest and time to myself," I say, shifting my attention to Leanbox's CPU. I hear the footsteps of the other three people in the suite at the moment also approach but not make their presence publicly known. "People need to really let me focus on what I want instead of telling me how to feel - I'm not backing down on this."

"You're making me angry~."

"You've already irritated me quite a bit too, you know. Why not just go ' _play'_ with everyone else instead of bothering me? I'm not sure what your fascination with me is."

"Noire's Noire~, I like to get to know everyone~."

"Yeah, well, how about you do that some other time instead of when I'm trying to rest and cool off? I don't really have too much against you personally, but I'm not capable of babysitting you," I say, sighing as I shake my head. Changing focus, I stare at Vert for a minute. "Well, I came out of my office at Lastation as you and Neptune asked. Sorry, I'm not really great for company lately. I think I might go take a walk."

"Sister, how about I…," Uni appears in the door, her face more concerned than even earlier. Ugh, why does stuff like this always happen when I'm tired or annoyed?

Hearing the familiar sound of someone beginning to activate HDD, I flick my eyes defensively over in Plutia's direction, the lines starting to form around her. "Oh? You really want to pick a fight that badly, huh?" I say, twisting to face her again. Focusing my thoughts, I begin to engage my HDD as well - I don't necessarily believe I will lose, though from what I've heard, she's good at mind-games and close-quarters, so this room puts me at a disadvantage. "Just know that I'm not backing down even if you come crying, you understand? I'm a little _competitive_."

"Oh, Goddess, oh, Goddess, help us all," the statements of the Verts, the other me, and Nepgear all come, with Uni stepping into the room beside me as she glares at Plutia.

"I'll stand with you, sister."

I nod to Uni, making my way for the door. "Come on, we'll be at a disadvantage if we mess up this bedroom over a scuffle like this. We can just go outside or use the main foyer if we have to… huh? Neptune?" I pause, noticing she slipped into the room without saying anything. She frowns, sighing, her eyes shifting between Plutia and I.

"Plutie, could you let it go?" Her voice is soft, fatigued, yet also a little firm. She turns to her technically cross-dimension counterpart as she tightens her hands into fists. "Just leave my dimension's Noire alone for a bit, okay?"

"Neppy~, she needs to learn to be nicer~. I'll make her be honest~."

"Eeh," Neptune takes a step back, shaking her head. "No, Noire's fine the way she is, just, why not go check out the stalls with your Noire and everyone else? We always need more kimono-festival scenes."

"Ah~, that sounds fun~, let's gooo~!" she answers immediately, grabbing the other me by the arm, dragging her and the Verts and Nepgear out of the room. "Neppy, are you coming?~"

"I'm gonna' take a walk with the sisters of tsun for a bit, and then I'll catch up, alright, Plutie?" she says, turning her head to smile at Plutia. Seeming pacified for now, they depart to leave Uni, myself and Neptune standing in the bedroom by ourselves. Silence settles for a few minutes, and I cross my arms and sigh as Uni leans in closer, grabbing softly at the fabric on my arm. I look over to her as she smiles nervously, staring out into the main room.

"I'm not apologizing," I state flatly, returning my attention to Neptune, who spins to shake her head at me to reinforce my statement. "You also didn't need to step in though, Neptune. You could jeopardize your precious friendship with her," I say, a sudden bitterness welling up inside me as I make my way to the door with Uni following after me silently. Honestly, just thinking about how close those two are, really bothers the crap out of me most of the time, and _now_ , it's full-blown anger. "Wouldn't of minded knocking her down a few pegs."

"Like you did in one of those other stories?" she asks, and I shrug. Can't be asked to acknowledge her references at the moment. She sighs, pacing after us to pat my shoulder as I tilt my head in her direction. "Hey, I'm… uh… sorry, okay? I didn't really know how to, uh, haha, defuse that situation."

"You didn't have to. Contrary to what the games make it seem, I'm _pretty sure_ that both Uni and I working together could wipe the floor with her, weird mind-games and sultry tones or not. Isn't that right, Uni?" I glance over at my sister, her eyes rolling over onto us as they brighten and clear again, having been roused from her thoughts.

"...I think so, too. I saw that everyone really struggled against that clone of hers, but it wasn't you and I fighting her, sister. She _is_ kind of scary, though."

"And I'm not, when I also get my explicitly sadistic scenes?" I say, offering both her and Neptune the 'And?' expression. "I can count five or six of those, and I'm _pretty_ sure that I also have main character protection at the moment."

"Whoa, really? Wait, does that mean this entire story's not intended to also possibly have a second or fifth installment from my point of view to reaffirm my position as best female lead?!" Neptune blurts out, **staring straight into the screen**. "This is some sorta' Nepping mistake, man!"

 **Who knows? I don't even know where I'm going with this.**

"Oh that's _really_ reassuring," I remark in annoyance, grumbling about the author's inconsistencies that sometimes appear. Like, how does he even expect people to enjoy my character when there's no real other characters taking the spotlight? Unless… he _intended_ to make me lose against Plutia? Oh, that's just some bull…

 **No, I actually didn't, but then again, I also still don't know where I'm going with this.**

"...You two talking to some mysterious, nonexistent voice aside, maybe we could go and relax, now? Nepgear and I patched most of the cameras, and I don't see a need to fix those last two cameras considering the Lastation room is pretty tasteless and the Planeptune one is… disputed, at the moment?" Uni's voice is uneasy, unsure, and I feel a pang of regret for involving her in my spat. I extend a hand, patting her head reassuringly.

"It'll sort itself out. How about you go try and catch up to Nepgear, or something?" I suggest, but Uni shakes her head. She answers my suggestion instead in stating she would rather spend time with the coolest sister she has ever seen, much to Neptune's chagrin. Flattered, I smile at her, responding with, "Okay, then I _suppose_ we can babysit Neptune and go visit some stalls ourselves, or possibly eat. Not that I really care either way, at the moment."

Neptune coughs, earning our attention as she shrugs sheepishly. "I… might have to get a raincheck on that. Plutie's going to be _piiiissed_ if I don't show up to hang out with them like I said I would, and unlike you, I am _not_ suicidal enough to try that out, Noire."

"Pfft. So she's a slightly generic yet appealingly adorable dom with a somewhat overbearing semi-split-personality. Even the author likes her for the most part, despite not liking her as much as us, but, I think that last bit of information would be enough to save you in at least these stories. Isn't that right?" **Yup. Nothing against Plutia personally, I just prefer my characters having more plot than being the S &M-butt.** "There you go, but for sake of relevancy, yeah, go ahead."

"Sorry to do the Nepflix without the Chill, ladies, but yeah, I'm gonna' get moving before I get flagged by a blue mascot for being too slow. Catch ya' later!" she chirps, hopping the rail to fall down onto the first floor, rushing out of the suite to chase after the main group.

"She's highly inconsiderate at the worst of times, isn't she?" Uni remarks and I nod. "I almost wonder if she's really got an ounce of romantic or emotional potential in her body. But, ignoring her, want to go try out one of those oceanside grills? I heard they have some great fish and other various things they can cook up."

"Sounds good, Uni. Maybe they also have some alcohol."

" **WHA?!** "

"Kidding, kidding. No worries. I don't think CPUs can get drunk anyway. We'd probably short-circuit… I'll stop with that now. But, yeah. That sounds wonderful," I try patting her shoulders to cool off her dumbfounded expression, but it seems as though that was the final bad joke for a bit. Chuckling to myself, I lead her down the stairwell and out of the room, ensuring it locks with a click behind us.

Walking around, we depart from the main building and the prying eyes of that creepy manager, much to both of our satisfaction, as we investigate the stalls. Really, it does look like some island-based traditional festival with colorful stalls and plenty of ribbons and flashy decorations, and the stuff they have on display or to goof around with are pretty varied. A lot of strange foods I've never seen in Lastation, some weird scooping game with small fish that Uni seems exceptional at, and also a couple shooting games that apparently didn't like us hitting every target without fail. Whoops. Regardless, we ended up finding ourselves at the oceanfront after having snuck by the main party that now finally linked up with the Blancs and Rom and Ram. I tried getting Uni to go and join them _now_ , but she still refused. "A little more time together, okay?" she pleaded, so I chose to indulge in her, and now here we are, sitting on some stools under a cabana with a compact kitchen in the back. Sipping on a non-alcoholic pina colada, Uni seems to have ordered some grand mashup of different juices and sugar to create something called a… Cinderella, I think? Alongside that, we order two snack-size servings of fries, munching on them quietly while watching the ocean's waves lull and roar at its leisure.

It occurs to me that this is one of the few times that I've _really_ spent time just relaxing with Uni, and it must have come to her as well, as we both flash each other a rather pleased 'Again, sometime?' expression before going back to snacking. With my emotions starting to return and regulate back to average normality, I lean back against the edge of the bar, yawning. Taking a sip from my drink, I survey the beach around us, but notice not a single person besides Uni and myself. Is this place really as popular as they say it is? They couldn't have cleared _everyone_ out just to have us here by ourselves… could they? I don't really know, and the more I try to delve into this concept, the weirder it gets. Deciding to instead just shove the thought aside, I reach back to grab a fry… only to discover that, for some odd reason, the entire packet is gone. "Uh…?"

Looking backward, I notice Neptune munching happily on them, her goofy face beaming with absolute _joy_. "Ah, what the hell, Neptune? Why'd you take my fries?" I say, standing up to berate her… to notice that while she _looks_ like Neptune in her face… the proportions… "Ah, um, who are…?"

"Whoa, how do you know my name? Ooh, now that I look, you're kinda' cute!~" she starts, her brilliant purple eyes sparkling as she hops to her feet. Taking a step back, I stare at her in bewilderment as I notice… _she looks just like Neptune, what the hell?_ Her hair is longer and more feminine, and her body is a lot more mature, and she's wearing a black hoodie instead of a white one, but… wait, is she even wearing pants? Ah, ah, Noire, mind out of the gutter. Focus. "Hey, hey, are you alright? Your face is really red."

"Ah, y-yeah, I'm perfectly fine. Um, I have a friend that looks just like you, so…," I say, feeling my face heat up at her compliment and choice of attire. Ugh, this is really awkward, even for me. "W-wait, actually… _Why the hell did you swipe my fries, though?!_ " I grumble at her, recovering as best I can.

She blinks, eating another. She glances down at it, then at me, and then down at it again before scratching the back of her head, shrugging. "Ahaha, it's just a habit when I see food in front of me to go ahead and grab some. Sorry, sorry. Here, want me to feed you this one? Say ah!~"

"Ah, ah… aah! What are you even _doing?_ " I fall backward, utterly flustered as Uni gasps, diving to catch me from hitting the ground. Helping me back to my feet, I shake my head and glare daggers at this bigger Neptune, only to discover she's already leaving. "Hey, where the hell are you going?!"

"Well, I got my snack and I had some fun, so I _think_ I'm off to go find something else to do. I'll catch you around though, cutie! I'll conquer that delicious tsun of yours next time… and thanks for the drinks!"

"Eh?" Uni and I both glance toward the table, frowning when we realize both of our drinks are missing. Shifting back to where this weird Neptune was, she had vanished. "EH?! No, our drinks!"

After a few moments of ranting in disbelief, we resign ourselves to the successful theft by that Neptune as we order another glass of our drinks and some more fries. This time, we pool everything together between us on a spare stool, keeping our eyes open as the main group of girls approaches. "Hey, hey, Noire, Uni, what are you two shouting about? We heard you all the way over by the goldfish booth. What's wrong…"

" _Neptune, you thief, how did you grow and steal our stuff?!_ " Uni and I bellow at Planeptune's CPU in sync.

"NEPU?! Whoa, what? I don't know what sort of weird Loweean mushrooms you've been eating since you got here, but CPUs can't grow, y'know," she explains, her eyebrows arched upward in concern. "Are you two okay? Is the isolation getting to you finally? Should I have stayed to be your valiant friend?"

"Ugh, shut up, Neptune. If that wasn't you, some girl that looked like you plus four years and maybe two or three cup sizes just swiped our fries and drink like it was nothing, and then disappeared. You tell me how that just worked. Really. Go on, explain it. And while you don't, give back our food… and my embarrassment."

"Yeah, the whole offering her a fry in your mouth thing was, um, kind of awkward to watch," Uni adds, rubbing her hands together in discomfort.

"I… did what now? I'm _pretty_ sure I'd remember something like that, and I've been with these girls since I peaced out with you two, so I'm not sure," Neptune responds, her expression a little dark suddenly. What brought that on?

"Neppy has been with us the whole time~, she was busy helping me with learning how to catch the goldfish~! They're so fast!~" Plutia adds with a goofy and contented smile, nodding at us slowly.

"I'm not sure what you two saw, and while the idea of someone having a clone similar to what we look like is not unheard of, Neptune has been with us, foiling my chances to claim Nepgear for Leanbox for the last few hours," Vert adds, crossing her arms in her typical fashion. Her eyes are already scanning the horizon, and I feel a bit disappointed that she didn't at least see that weird Neptune to know we're not crazy.

"Mm. We have been watching her quite a bit to avoid her causing trouble, and she hasn't left our sight since Rom, Ram and we arrived," Blanc adds, and then the other Blanc looks around, stating, "I haven't seen anyone suspicious, either. Are you sure you two are alright?"

"We're perfectly fine. Whatever, I guess we'll just chalk it up to a coincidence, I suppose," I retort with mild displeasure and disbelief. I know what I saw and just had happen to me, after all. I'm not hallucinating about Neptune, since Uni saw her as well. Thank Goddess. "Anyway, I suppose you've all had the same time to check out the different stuff here like we have?"

"Mm. It's been pleasant, though it's a little warm here. I don't trust the staff here with my clothing, but I'm not happy that I had nothing thinner," Blanc complains quietly, approaching to take a seat under the cabana as well. She grabs a fry, eating it without much thought, shrugging softly at me.

"You could always take off that coat and reveal your underdeveloped body, you know," the Verts point out, sparking another flat-versus-gigantic argument. Watching the two sides bicker and toss threats and insults back and forth is amusing enough, though the contents of the discussion have gotten old. To each their own, right?

"Uni, do you want to join Rom, Ram and I as we go explore the booths more?" Nepgear inquires, pausing to look at me. "Oh, um, I'm sorry, Miss Noire. Would you mind if we borrowed Uni for a little bit of time?"

Shifting my attention to Uni, her expression says it all. Closing my eyes, I smile as I take a sip from my glass, nodding. "As long as she wants to go, I won't object. She is responsible enough to make her own decisions without needing my approval all the time. So, yeah. Uni, if you want, go on and enjoy your vacation like you told me to, alright?"

She blinks, coughing with a slightly embarrassed expression. "O-of course, though it's only because I have nothing else to do. Be grateful, alright?"

"Yes! Thank you very much, Uni!" Nepgear chirps, causing Uni's face to redden even further as the two link hands, heading off with Blanc's sisters in tow. Watching them depart, I rest my chin in my left hand while nursing my glass with my right, yawning.

"Hard to believe how well those four get along, when you compare their elder siblings," I mumble, smirking as both Verts and Blancs shift their attention to the departing candidates, fretting. "Though, maybe we just hide our coordination under a whole lot of crap, huh?"

"Hey, Noire," Neptune says, taking the seat that Uni had left open. Spinning on the chair to address her, I regard her with curiosity. "What did you say happened with that older lookalike?"

Red splashes over my face and I groan, shaking my head vehemently. "Please don't ask about it. She just embarrassed me, that's all."

"Did she try and usurp my claim to the tsun throne?" she blurts out, and I raise an eyebrow, baffled. Her expression seems serious despite her wording. Maybe now isn't the best time for jokes? But when does that ever apply to this dolt?

"...No, I guess not? She complimented me and teased me, though she didn't do anything to jeopardize your main character status apart from being as airheaded and oddly-styled as you are. I don't know why you're asking me about this, anyway - _the author doesn't write netorare for a damn good reason._ "

" _But he didn't specify which Neptune and Noire would get together in each of his stories, now does he?!"_ She grumbles out, but we'll moot both this and my last statement for continued flow. "I just, wondered. That's all, I have to make sure that my main form of entertainment isn't being spirited away by the Neps that may or may not be."

"Pfft. Whether I want to be or not, it looks like we're stuck together until the day we all end up dead somehow - which really doesn't seem to be, y'know, ever? After all, if they couldn't kill you off in the first game, how in the world would they take me away over a simple Neptune palette and body swap?"

Her eyes widen and she stares at me in profound confusion for a few moments, her mouth literally agape for once. Score one for Noire on the 'dumbfounded-the-other battle of all the titles thus far'? Damn, that might be my first one, too. Ugh. My writers need better inspiration. Anyway, her face goes through a myriad of thought and expression long thought impossible by many for one such as the mysterious meme-lover known as the 4ch-Neptune, before her goofy smile returns out of nowhere and she beams a happy-go-lucky grin in my direction. "Yeah… Yeah! You're right, Noire. You and I'll always be together, huh?"

"Yeah, just like those two pairs of idiots, too," I say with a smile, motioning silently to the duos who seem to have settled for a volleyball match on the beach. "Hey, want to go join them for a bit? Could use a bit of competition, and those two never could keep up like you can."

"You're on, Competitive Heart!"

* * *

 **Cutting it there for now to upload this as a sampler. I've considered this being a framework beginning to my intentions of revamping the Dimensional Dilemma, but I actually think I have even better ideas on that note. Might take a very different direction, too, but honestly, the more I learn of MDNV2, I see a _lot_ of great fanfiction material for tons of different subplots and stories.**

 **Also, to the guy who worried I'd stop writing stuff like this - nah, man. Don't worry, I just don't upload as frequently due to real life and due to a lull in my Neptunia inspiration. It does get sort of hard to continually post stuff with other aspects of your life consistently interfering, and that's probably a whiny cop-out, but eh. You love me or you hate me, 'long as you give my stuff a fair chance.**

 **Furthermore; how're the angles for each of the characters? Think I'm capturing their speech and their habits a bit better? Been studying the games and trivia a bit, might also start taking pokes at reading other authors' work for this series soon if I can find stuff amidst the OCxCPU storm. Might write a crack-fic about that myself at some point. Would have to be highly elaborate and completely negate the concept of OCs at all in an ironic twist, though.**

 **But, main points - should I continue dabbling in this? Should I push myself to try other characters' POVs, or just stick with my adequate grip on Noire's persona? Anyone want more if I create more, or just want me to move onto a new one-shot slew instead? Or both? Maybe answer C. Always Plan C.**

 **But yeah, that wraps this up. Thank you for reading, hope my sort of scattered style this time around didn't interrupt the story too much, and hopefully it came out pretty alright. Hit me up with some feedback or praise if you want to lighten my mood and motivate me a bit more, or just tell me to eat crap and die if you feel that way too. Won't change that I'll post from time to time... I think. That's spooky, actually.**


	17. One-Shot 17b! Big Nep, Best Nep?

**Heyo again. Just randomly threw this together as it came to me, and I decided to just kinda' roll with it.**

 **BigNep's adventures through the Ultradimension prior to learning Croire can travel dimensions. Pretty neat concept if certain things happened while she was out Nepping around. I think I characterized her slightly more adult and more mature Neppy quirks pretty well, too, for a first attempt. UltraNoire might be a bit OoC, but I actually consider her well-done as well, when you consider how tsunderes work when they're not the chosen love interest. Pretty depressing crap, man.**

 **Might turn into another random installment or update on this post later, since this was fun and I can toy with this idea in a lot of ways - going either super best friend buddies forever, or some sweet, slammin' yuri lovin' with the coolest Nep since normal Nep. Ah, that's just two Neps. Shh.**

 **Update1: Okay, so, I was just working on this and decided I'd slap it onto this without a moment to waste since it expands upon a slow beginning and advances the idea a bit more. Still having fun with this, and I intend to drag this out, but for those of you that wanted more, here's at least a _biiit_ more to tide you over as I find more time to continue it with. :) Sorry about that, though, I was busy sleeping last night and then busy all day with some housework, so I only _just_ got back to working on this again. I'll keep at it, I swear! Oh, also, Ctrl + F, 'UD1' if you want to quickly get straight to the update. Will also do the same for the eventual Update2.**

 **Anyway, without further delay - onward, for Neptune wishes to play!**

* * *

"Hey, Nep, where the hell are we goin'?!" Croisty pipes up, shouting at me from inside my notebook. I glance down at her, contemplating answering her for a moment or two before shrugging and moving forward, humming softly. "Oi, oi! Stop ignoring me!"

Hopping over a small log, I sigh at the consistent chatter from her, opting to find some tape and a muzzle for the book later when I find a town to hang around at for awhile. Honestly, I just need something more interesting to do, lately - wandering around the forests, collecting insects and other various interesting creatures can only sustain a girl so long before she wants more, y'know? A girl's gotta' have fun!

Ahead of me, a couple boxbirds pop up angrily, meaning I guess I got too close to one of their nests? Ah, well. I quickly rush past them, weaving between their attacks with ease as I yawn, rubbing my eye sleepily. Honestly, I don't really remember how far I walked into the forest today, and honestly, it's not like it really matters - I'm only in here as long as you read about my time in here, right?~ Hahaha.

Noticing a small golden apple dangling from a branch above me, I hop up and snag it, inspecting it as I tiptoe over a massive fallen tree. I remember we supposedly got trashed pretty hard by some pretty nasty folks a few months back, back when I met Croisty over here with the attitude - not like I really _know_ why I call her that, but, hey, it's a meta reference like all the others, right? We'll go with it! Anyway, deciding the apple seems healthy enough to eat, I bite into it and gasp in joy - it's really, really sweet! Making a sound in contentment, I spend the next few minutes wandering about the woods just happily munching. Not like there's much to really say or see, anyway - trees as far as the eyes can see, and they create a canopy that really is only good for curling up to catch some Zs. Hey, that rhymed!

"...Hey… Can you grab me an apple, too, at least? I'm kinda' hungry over here, Nep," Croisty's voice comes weakly out of the book, sighing in defeat. "While I'd love to 'record' more history, I suppose stickin' with you can't be terrible, but would it hurt to feed me once in awhile?"

"I remember you told me that you'd escape if I did. Are you changing your mind to stop being so crotchetisty?" I respond, pulling out my notebook to flip it open to her page.

"...That didn't really sound as intelligent as you thought it would, I'm gonna' say, but yeah, I'll hang around. Not like I've found anyone else to keep things interesting to go deal with yet, anyway."

"Hmm… alright, sure," I reply, jumping to grab a red-and-green apple this time. Popping it into the book, I listen to her eat for a few minutes before I yawn again, stretching my arms over my head. "Heyyy, got any ideas where we should go to get out of this forest? I'm getting kinda' bored of the consistent tree scenery."

"You mean you brought us all the way out here without knowing a way to get back? Crap, Nep, your sense of planning sucks, not gonna' lie," she comments, pausing. "I _think_ I might know where we are. Try heading that way."

" _This_ way?" I say, somewhat confused.

"No, that way."

"Ah, _that_ way!~" I add, deciding to have fun with this.

"No, damn it, I mean _that_ way," she retorts, obviously not as pleased by my game as she is.

"Okay, okay, you obviously mean _this_ way, right?~" But the truth is… I don't care if she does or not! This is sort of fun.

"...You're just screwing with me now, aren't you?"

"Mhm! Alright, so you said head straight down this way?"

"Yeah, if we just keep going this way, we should end up probably around Planeptune's outskirts. Though, there's a big commotion over there, I feel - not sure why, though."

I shift my attention to the horizon, my eyebrow rising in curiosity. "You mean there's some sort of event going on? Let's go drop in!" I say, smiling as I rush forward through the woods. Hopping over and ducking under trees as I run, I hear Croisty laugh. "Hmm?~"

"Never pegged you for a party crasher, but let's go startle these bitches, then!" she states, obviously interested in whatever is ahead of us. Though, I am too. I wonder what it is? I hope they have some sort of food - maybe some of that new pudding floating around? If not, I can always make some Nep Bull, maybe.

Light begins to shine at the end of the tunnel-nah, I see the edge of the forest, leaping for a low-hanging branch of one of the trees. Grabbing it, I swing forward and let go before it snaps, flipping in mid-air while shouting, "I am Nepzan, Queen of the Jungle! Aaaaah!~" Managing three somersaults as I fall, I quickly react and plant my feet firmly in the ground, sliding forward a little bit as I flail my arms in an attempt to stay balanced, somehow sticking it. "Woo! Judge, how would you rate that landing?"

"I'll give you maybe an 8.5 out of 10 for not falling on your face, but you could've made a far more disruptive introduction by shouting something weirder," Croisty comments as I look up curiously, noticing I'm standing in the center of some strangely flashy aisle, posing before about a few thousand people. Blinking absentmindedly, I hear Croisty burst into laughter. "Holy crap, Nep, you didn't see where you were landing?!"

"Oh, um, hello everyone. I've come to… uh… I do not object!" I shout, waving my arms while while moonwalking backward. I feel like I just reversed the scene of some Nepsney movie about large green people during a wedding with a twist of my own, but, hey, maybe I'm just paranoid. Stepping out of the aisle, I look around and notice that two girls, like, really young-looking ones, one with lavenderish-colored hair and one with brownish-blonde hair, are sitting there, dolled up in brilliantly white wedding dresses. Cocking my head, I walk around the perimeter, ducking out of reach of these flashy robe-wearing guys trying to get rid of me as I approach someone closer to the front. "Hey, pst, hey, put the lotion in the basket, listen, hey, whaddya' buyin', whaddya' sellin', hey, listen, hey, wanna' buy some candy, hey, do you wanna' build a snowman?" Blurting stuff like that out as I walk past people, I feel my movement toward the stage stopped by a firm hand on the back of my hoodie. Struggling for a moment, I spin around to find the unbudging source… to be some girl with long black pigtails, like, really cute ones, and piercing red eyes with an adorable face. Man, I'd hug the crap out of _that_ face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Neptu-oh my god, Neptune, you've… grown?" Her voice shifts from a shaky anger to one of bewilderment as I stop, standing up straight to stare her in the eyes in both awe and confusion of my own. Crap, there come the guards…, "She's with us, she's just a little mentally slow, so leave her be."

"Yes, Lady Noire," they respond with somewhat reluctant salutes, departing.

She looks back over at me and I flash her a happy smile, holding up a thumb approvingly. "Thanks, there, Noire! I dunno' who you are, but man, am I glad you helped me out. I was about to be asked to leave politely, and it was about to be awkward for everyone." I pat her shoulder, nodding my head pleasantly as she grabs both of my arms, holding me still. Raising an eyebrow, I say, "Hey, hey, please be gentle, it's my first time…~" Needless to say, she releases me, stepping back while sputtering, her face becoming a vibrant, brilliant scarlet as her already red eyes become threatening… and tired. Her shoulders slump and she sighs, pressing a hand to her forehead as she just shakes her head. Being the kind samaritan I am, I lean forward and pat her shoulder with a smile. "Don't look so glum all the time, little Noire. I'm sure everything'll be perfectly okay, or my name isn't Neptune!"

"Shut up, okay? I don't have energy for your weird, physics-defying antics. I thought you went back to your own dimension, anyway? What, did you get thrown here again?" she asks bitterly, staring at me with dark, cloudy eyes. Damn, those eyes aren't supposed to be like that! Maybe cloudy, but… ah, crap-crap-crap-crap, that's not PG. Nevermind.

"I dunno' what you're talking about, honestly. I've been here my whole life, though I never really did take to visiting any of the cities unless I had to. See, I'm highly original, but I'm not out-of-dimension-original. Jeez. Who could ever have as beautiful of a face and body as me?"

"...Oh my Goddess, you're the Neptune from our dimension, aren't you?" she asks, her eyes widening as I hear the people over at the altar stop to look over at us. One's angry, one's spacy but happy, and the priest's… still yapping. Wait, does our world even have priests? Ah well, go with it! "Holy crap, I never really… expected you to be… Wow, this is a surprise," she states, pulling me away from the ceremony to stand farther to the back after making some halfhearted excuses. "Okay, well, you just… kind of inadvertently crashed a wedding between Planeptune's CPU Goddess, and Lowee's CPU Goddess. I have no idea if you did that intentionally or not, but, that's what you did."

"Oh snap, crackle, pop. That's pretty serious, I'm guessing?" I say, tilting my head.

"...Yeah, you could say that. One… no, two of the most important people in the world."

"Shocking truth!" Shaking my head, I could have sworn I was carrying a coffin just now, being a princess and all-ahem! "So, what does that make you, then, and why are you so bummed about this? Isn't this all political and crap?"

She centers her gaze on me, laughing weakly. "I'm the CPU Goddess of Lastation, Noire. I guess… you probably don't get it, especially if you're a Neptune never accustomed to us, but… one of the people on that stage is someone I was, well…"

"Ah, Sugar Honey Iced Tea. Sorry about that, Noire. Uh, well, did you try to convey your feelings to her?" I say, watching her face light up again as she stammers and tries to speak. Sighing, I cross my arms. "Okay, you didn't. And you're just gonna' give her up right now without a fight?"

"Wha… I mean, I couldn't do that to Blanc… It's not fair to either of them, especially since Plutia confessed to Blanc, and not the other way around, and…"

I shake my head, wrapping an arm around her as I pull her close, patting her head. "Hey, hey, you're a big softie, then. Okay, well, there'll be other people, and if you want to have someone to talk to, I wouldn't mind hanging out as long as you don't mind my talking book and my hunger."

She blinks, just peering at me with completely dumbfounded eyes, as if I treated everything entirely irrelevantly. Crap, did I handle this wrong? Damn, I _knew_ I should have played more of those wonky dating sims that are getting more popular nowadays. Ah well, you win some, you lose…, "Goddess, you really aren't all that different from one dimension to the next, are you? Maybe it's _because_ you're a complete idiot that you're so easy to talk to."

"Hey, this idiot just made you smile, y'know. Things are too short to always be so unhappy about, chin up and let's have some of this new pudding stuff - it's really great, I swear."

"Haah, of course that'd be the first thing you'd recommend. Alright, well, fine, but let's get this wedding done with, first, then," she says, her lips still upturned happily. She looks off toward the altar, her posture not changing this time as she nudges me with her shoulder and then groans. "Ah... you're not even wearing a bra, are you?"

"Pfft, why would I? That's not comfortable."

"Can you let me go so I can go see this through? It's important for all of us."

"Only if I get to come along, duh."

"Ugh, fine, you're so damn annoying sometimes."

"And you're better when you're being super tsun and fun. Don't you ever frown in front of me or my Neps ever again."

 **[UD1 starts here.]**

The wedding proceeds pretty well, honestly, even with my interjections halfway through. The two squirts make for a pretty awesome yuri pairing, though they really don't suit my tastes all that much. To each their own, I guess? Hahaha. Making sure to stay close to this Noire girl, I just stand awkwardly, beaming at the lavender-haired girl who seems utterly overjoyed to see me. Did I somehow cross into another dimension? Pfft, the concept's impossible, really.

"...You may now kiss your bride," the priest says, bowing to the duo who embrace, snogging like no other. I blink, leaning back in both surprise and amazement - that lavender-haired girl is really pushing herself on the other girl, which I did not expect. Maybe she's secretly a dom? So weird.

Noire grabs the sleeve of my hoodie tightly, her face mirroring her heart, I suppose. I reach around, pulling her against me in that buddy-chum-pal way, rubbing my cheek reassuringly against hers. I feel her heat up at this, but at least she's not so distraught by the wedding and the overly intimate marital kiss that she's not reacting. Goddesses, I could have fun teasing her like this!

Keeping her distracted like this goes on for a good while as everyone gets through giving them their best wishes, and as the ceremony begins to disperse, a talk of a party comes up. Obviously intrigued, I decide to stick with my new favorite tsundere as she goes about speaking to various people. Her eyes continue to flick toward me and then also the bride as she sighs, turning after bidding farewell to some businessman. "Why are you sticking so close to me? It's so embarrassing."

"I don't know anyone else here and frankly, your reactions amuse the hell out of me,~" I say, winking, as she stammers and slaps my arm in annoyance. I chuckle, patting her shoulder as I peer around, noticing how the crowds really have begun to fade quite a bit as some extremely buxom chick comes meandering toward us, her arms crossed to emphasize her bosom. Jeez, way to make a girl jealous and also a bit annoyed at the same time!

"Hello, Noire, are you finished with your greetings long enough to explain where Neptune has come from, and why she hasn't brought darling Nepgear? How am I to look after my own younger sister if she…," she trails off, her eyes scrutinizing me with surprise. "...When did you suddenly become so…?"

"This is the Neptune from our dimension, actually, Vert," Noire answers her promptly, grumbling quietly to herself. "She's been out of the loop for quite a while, apparently, and just dropped in out of some weird Neptune'esque coincidence and now _she won't leave me alone_."

I smirk, leaning close to blow softly into her ear, watching her jump and yelp in a multitude of emotions as she steps away from me. Grinning mischievously at her, I shrug, "You know you enjoy it, so don't act like that.~" Shifting my attention to the blonde again who looks on with an awestruck expression, I frown and wave. "Hey, hey, ground control to Major Blondie, you're spacing out there, y'know." She snaps back into focus, narrowing her eyes on me skeptically as I smile at her, "I'm Neptune, but apparently you already knew me - but, give me your name, chest-master, and I shall not give you mine!"

She shakes her head, rolling her eyes at me, but hey, I've had worse first introductions. "I am Vert, the CPU of Leanbox. It is… a pleasure to meet you, Neptune of our dimension."

"Aaah, so this big Neppy is from our world~," an airy voice sounds from behind Vert who steps aside to reveal the lavender shortie and her quiet wife. "Hi there, Neppy~, I'm Plutia, and… I wanna' be your friend~!" she states, her hands clapping together happily.

I flash her a warm smile, patting her head. "Sure thing, Plutie! It's nice to meet ya'! Congrats on the whole marriage thing too, sorry for the whole wedding crashing cliche, I totally didn't mean any harm in it! I was just a small-town girl, traveling through a lonely forest. I took the mid-day swing, wanting to go anywhere~!"

"Oohhh~, you can be with Blanny and I~! That way, Neppy and I can be lazy again~," she chirps happily, earning a disapproving look from the other three girls around. She pauses, her eyes widening as if she remembered something before she turns to grasp the hands of her wife, 'Blanny' or whatever. "Is it okay if Neppy hangs out with us, Blanny~?" Her face flushes a deep red and she stutters for a moment before nodding reluctantly, opting for silence. "Yaaay~!"

Noire seemingly overcomes her weird distancing from me and seems to forget her broken heart for a few minutes as she sighs, stepping forward to grab the hood of my hoodie, shaking her head. "...For Blanc's sanity, Neptune should probably stay with Vert or me. Sorry, Plutia, but Planeptune and Lowee… or, Plowee as you call it now…," she trails off, muttering how absurd of a name it really is, offering a quiet prayer for Blanc, "... will, uh, be kind of busy for a while with diplomatic affairs."

"Aww~, Noire, you're so mean~," Plutia objects, her pout seeming to disarm the tsundere once more, Noire's expression softening for a moment before shifting to a sudden pang of discomfort.

"Alright, alright, ladies, I'm afraid I don't want to crash with you two anyway, since I don't really want to be the awkward third wheel in your honeymoon and all that, hahaha," I say, throwing the acceptable expression to reinforce my stance on this onto my face. "So, girls, _who wants to be blessed?~_ "

"Aw… Neppy, you're a priest~?"

"You bet your killer fashion sense that I am, Plutie!~ I'm the holiest person in all of the world!" I exclaim, watching everyone else groan and shake their heads as Plutia stares at me in wonder and admiration. I feel a bit bad if she actually takes me seriously, but, hey, I can _not_ pass up the opportunity to derail everything and lighten the mood, since someone has to, right? "Hey, hey, you still haven't began arguing over who gets my services first. I'm a little biased towards Noire, since I've already agreed to give her a _special_ blessing. Isn't that right, my sweet Noire?~"

Her face reddens as she stamps her foot, glaring at me while vehemently shaking her head in front of the others. "No, no, no, I did not! Don't believe her, really!"

Vert and the Blanny girl seem to catch onto this, both smirking at me with wicked delight. "Oh, Noire, we won't judge you for your personal life, though, remember to keep your voice down for your citizens' sake,~" Vert advises, her eyebrows arched upward. Noire's face reddens further as she gives Vert an extremely deathly expression, shifting it also to Blanny and I.

"We will attempt to give you two privacy for some time," Blanny says, unfazed by Noire's adorable little wordless threat. "Though, should we plan for another wedding in the next month?"

"Ohhh~, Neppy and Noire are also getting married~? Wowww~!" Plutia states, entwining her fingers as she beams at us. I scratch my head, laughing nervously at this, since I didn't expect to drag this out this far. Just what sort of group of friends did I walk into?

"Please, for the love of the Goddess, just… shut… up," Noire mumbles, covering her face. "This is all your fault, you stupid Neptune! Stop making them get the wrong idea, for Goddesses' sake!"

I shrug, sticking my tongue out while gently tapping my head with my knuckle, mimicking a totally innocent, go-lucky airhead. "I don't know what you mean, Noire! I was just talking about who will be beaten by my elite gaming talents. It was you four that took it so lewdly. Perverts!~"

"Uh-huh, sure, of _course_ you meant that," she growls at me, her face devoid of amusement. Crap, maybe I went too far. Sighing, she brushes her hair out of her eyes, coughing as she attempts to recompose herself, cleaving her expression of emotion. "Anyway, I guess that means that I'm stuck babysitting this idiot?"

"I couldn't handle the smaller Neptune very well to begin with, so attempting to look after this one would be impossible for me, I'm afraid. I know you are the most capable of looking after Neptune and her antics, Noire, so please persevere for all of our sakes," Vert says, shooting her an empathetic glance before nodding to me. "Please don't torment her too much, Neptune. Beating Lastation due to an internal disruption would sour the experience entirely."

"Lo… Plowee will not accept a rigged victory, either," Blanny states, narrowing her eyes seriously. "We intend to release a long line of successful joint hardware and games now, and triumphing over both Leanbox and Lastation is assured, but we would prefer the field being even so that we are not accused of unfair play."

"Hell no, even with both Neptunes disrupting me, I would never lose to either Leanbox nor Lowee… er, Plowee. You can throw your best at us, but Lastation will always be the strongest nation," Noire exclaims, crossing her arms while beaming with confidence. Damn, the air suddenly got tense with competitive nature, didn't it?

"Ahhh~, no fighting~," Plutia interjects, pouting. "We're all friends~, aren't we~?"

"I don't know, let 'em fight, Plutie. Goofing off and trying out the games they put out to try and beat each other is where the real fun's at. Y'know?" I respond to her with a wink, and she nods her head while agreeing with me. "See, you three can hash it out, but we'll be the real winners here."

"You stay out of this, Neptune. You and your futuristic advantage… ah, right, nevermind. You'd not understand anyway, you're not a CPU," Noire says arrogantly, smirking. Raising an eyebrow, I offer her my curiosity as she shrugs. "A normal person wouldn't understand the need to be the best Goddess in the people's eyes, after all."

"I know how to make you Goddesses blush like schoolgirls if we want to make a competition out of this," I answer her flatly, winking at her as she blinks. "After all, I'll be _in your care_ for a while, won't I? You'll be _really hospitable_ to me, won't you, Noire?~" Leaning forward, I bring my face close as she howls, her face getting that same redness back for the umpteenth time in the last hour or two. "See?~ I don't need to fight over stuff like that when I have… _more important things to sink my teeth into, hm?~_ "

"This Neppy's really perverted~," Plutia states with apparent glee. "Neppy, we should play sometime~!"

Noting Blanny's discomfort with this statement, and the overall reaction of fear at this suggestion from everyone else, I stand straight and pat her head, shaking my head. "Sorry, sorry, Plutie. I'm not really like that, y'know. It's just too fun to tease Noire.~"

"I _so_ hate you, Neptune," Noire grumbles, coughing quietly as she attempts to drain the scarlet from her cheeks. "But, I think I'm going to get going, everyone. I need to finish up some paperwork for Lastation before anything else since there's a deadline soon for an upcoming project of ours. Not that knowing will help," she snickers, pivoting on her heel as she departs, waving. "Bye, everyone. Neptune, if you're coming with me, you'd better hurry up - I'm not waiting for you."

"Ah, hey! I don't know how to get to Lastation, you know! Uh, bye everyone. I'll see you all later," I say cheerfully, quickly hurrying to pursue Noire, who, contrary to her statement, is simply standing a short distance away. She huffs, continuing forward as I catch up. "See you soon, Plutie!"

"Bye, Neppy and Noire~, come visit Plowee soon, okay~?" she calls, waving back at us as Blanny and Vert do the same.

"Sure thing!" I shout back, shifting my attention to Noire as their figures shrink behind us. "So, is it really alright if I crash with you for a while?" I ask, noticing her eyes flicking over to me as she clicks her tongue, shrugging.

"Better than making things harder for Blanc, since you seem to be a bigger pain than the other Neptune, anyway. Plus, I have some questions for you… and wouldn't mind the company," she mumbles the last part, probably intending for me not to hear it. Oh well, I definitely didn't. Yeah, we'll go with that to make up for embarrassing her so much earlier. "And, it's thanks for diverting everyone's focus until I recomposed myself. Don't think I'll make a habit of being nice to you, though."

Ah, probably with Plutia and whatever. I don't see how they'd mesh together that well anyway, really. "Hooray! This Nep will take what she can get. I'm really grateful, Noire," I chirp, hugging her arm playfully as she stammers, attempting to pry me off. "So, what's Lastation like? I don't really think I've traveled into any city besides Planeptune… at all, honestly, and even that was for brief resupply missions and trading."

"Wow, you really are a country bumpkin, aren't you?" she states rhetorically, raising her eyebrows in surprise. Placing her free hand on her hip, her eyes focus on the sky above us as she ponders aloud, thinking of how to explain things to me. "Well… uh, it's really different from Planeptune, or Plowee as you need to recognize it as, now, with Lastation being more focused on steampunk'ish themes and industrial development, where Planeptune was…"

"Bright, cheerful and laidback?" I answer for her, and she nods. "Well, I can see how things would turn out differently with the whole personality differences. I can't say I hate the whole steampunk genre, so I should adjust well. Do you guys have snacks there, though?"

She rolls her eyes, nodding. "Duh. Just because we're driven and better at business and economics doesn't mean we're robots. I'll try to see that you get a tour from one of my staff later so that you understand more about Lastation."

"Aw, hell no. If I'm getting a tour, you're taking me out. I'm not being shoved off on some unimportant guy when I can be seen with such a cute tsundere," I respond, shaking my head at her. "And if you insist, I will literally never let your arm go."

 **[More to come.]**

* * *

 **Yeah, just a random friendshippy-Neppy-thing for some jokes and some screwing around. Nothing serious, though I do get the vibe that adultNep would be a _biiit_ more interested in other people than CPU Nep, due to growing up as a normal human and everything. Especially Noire with her damn fine character design. Hell yeah.**

 **You _can_ get more out of this if you want, especially if you decide to look at how my earlier Noires work, or you can just wait for me to find the urge to add more to this shot and goof around with it. Hey, either way works for me, as it's always fun to dabble and play. Yeah, on a rhyming binge, maybe just a tinge.**

 **Oh yeah. Memes and references. I always multiply those by Nepfinity when I write from a Neptune angle. It's kinda fun, really. (^_^)**

 **Update1: I _think_ I still have BigNep's personality well-done. I picture her, and from what her dialogue strikes me as in MDNV2, as far more mature, more intelligent, and more flirty and playful while still being considerate of others, silly, and otherwise Neppy. Also, she strikes me as the kind that would legitimately possibly put even Iris Heart to shame with some of her remarks, since older Nep KNOWS what she's got and she's definitely not afraid to speak her mind and flaunt it. It just fits, y'know?**

Anyway, since I don't really have much more to add, I'm off to work on something else for now. Hit me up if you want to talk or suggest or just chill, I'm usually around one way or another. Catch ya' later, ladies and gents.

Tainted out, nyaaa~ (never again)


	18. One-shot 18! Don't Disappear, Alright?

**Now, here's one that I had a _lot_ of fun working on. Technically, a small continuation, or rather, a time-skip and relation to OS-14, with the whole bond between Noire and Neptune deepening even more. I really admit it, I _love_ writing them more like this, though it will always feel OoC to me, so I try to mix and match with my one-shots, changing the characters' styles up frequently. I dunno', I might do a lengthy story in this style someday, since I just _love_ how it works, and in my honest opinion... it just feels plausible in the interludes between games. A friendship bordering on a relationship that only the two share behind closed doors, y'know? Anyway, I won't waste much time or word-count here. Just read it, and hopefully, enjoy, alright?**

 **Onwaaaard.**

* * *

Neptune's been acting odd lately. Like, _really_ weird, even for her. Not like the usual weird, either, where it's just more references and jokes in poor tastes - but the weird that results from being worried about something, or paranoid about something. Of course, the dolt won't let on to anyone what exactly seems to be bugging her, but, that's Neptune in a nutshell, I guess.

I sigh, running a hand through one of my pigtails, shaking my head. I shouldn't be sitting here fretting over her when I have a stack of paperwork to handle, yet again, for the thirty-second day in a row. I rub my eyes, grimacing, thinking bitterly that this project better suit those stiff-suits over in the new Macrosoft firm, or I'll sincerely cut funding from some of their programs and research.

Uni slides another completed stack of forms onto the edge of my desk, bowing courteously before excusing herself to go and get some rest, leaving me to the silence of my office. Leaning back in my chair after she leaves, I frown and spin around, staring out into the bright lights of Lastation's nighttime. In truth, we are the city that never sleeps - even at night, one can see hundreds, and sometimes, even thousands of buildings twinkling all through the night, flickering off only by about six in the morning… to conserve energy, no less. I run a hand subconsciously on the arm of my chair, biting my lip as I let my thoughts stew for some time.

Should I pay that idiot a visit? It'd be a bit out of character for me, especially since this would be a… night visit… with perfectly pure intentions, though that may be miscommunicated if handled poorly. Not that that'd be new, really, but, hey - even _I_ would like conversations to flow normally amongst all of us now and then, and I only get Neptune like that when it's just us. Clicking my tongue, it's the first time I curse Nepgear's clinginess to her sister, and that Uni just went to bed. Damn.

Shaking my head, I attempt to rid myself of my thoughts again, to instead transition back into my work, and as I look down at the sheets filled with endless legal and economic maneuvering, I groan. Maybe this is why Neptune so shrewdly attempts to dodge this crap - or maybe I'm just tired and cranky. Not that that's a valid excuse when Lowee and Leanbox surpass us in shares and economic boom, but, at least it makes me feel a bit better.

I pinch my arm, grimacing. Focus, Noire, focus. Get that purple-haired harebrain out of your head for maybe ten more minutes so you can at least finish a bit more. Come on, don't worry about how your stupid unspoken bond lets you see past that fake smile to notice she's shaky, nor how her movements are duller and less lively, nor even how her tone is a bit emptier - it isn't your problem, you know? You're the perfect example of the Goddess who never sleeps, who always puts her people first…

...And Neptune actually is part of the whole that I consider, 'my people.' Damn. Why can't Vert be the older sister in the more personal ongoings in each of our lives? Actually, scratch that, I don't really think her methods really help in one-on-one scenario situations, and I can't really credit Blanc any more due to her short temper and already standoffish attitude with us half of the time. You'd really think that the 'family-friendly' one would be less of a hothead and more of a busybody… but apparently not. And here I am, the 'loner,' worrying about one of my technical rivals. Pretty dumb, if I do say so myself.

Standing up in my chair, I scratch my head in annoyance and stretch, yawning silently. Guess I have a housecall to make, for better or for worse.

 **[Later, now at Planeptune's Basilicom]**

Bowing my head at the guards standing by, their eyes widen and they hurry to make a formal salute as I motion for them to quiet down with my hands. After a few moments of watching them struggle to contain the urge to shout about my arrival, I offer them a courteous smile and curtsy myself before speaking, "Hello, gentlemen. Is Neptune in tonight? I wish to speak to her."

They exchange looks before one nods, "Yes, as a matter of fact, she is. She is currently requesting to be left alone, however."

"May I override that to speak to her anyway? I believe my intentions to be important enough," I quickly counter, and their eyebrows raise in surprise. I cough, sighing, offering them an apologetic expression. "Sorry, that was likely rude - though, I insist that I must speak to her, as an assurance from CPU to CPU. May I pass?"

"...Yes, if you insist, Lady Noire," they say, reluctantly making way. "She is in her office."

"That's how I _know_ this visit is a necessity," I mutter, and one of the guards flashes me a thumbs-up as a response. Nodding to them, I excuse myself as I step past them, silently proceeding down the hall at a brisk pace. My eyes shift from door to door as I attempt to call forth which one is actually the Planeptune office - a difficult feat, considering I was there… maybe twice, on Histoire's request, in the last few years?

Pausing at what I believe to be the office, I take a soft but long breath, bracing myself. No backing down, this is just her and me, hopefully - maybe we can speak as we do when it's just us if there's no one else around. A hard gamble, really, since I didn't ask about Histoire or Nepgear, but I'll have to roll with it nonetheless. Pressing a hand lightly on the door, I push it open and step inside.

"...Who is it?" Neptune's voice comes weakly to me, and my eyes widen as I feel a sharp stab at my heart. "Histy? Nep Jr.? I thought I said… not to bother me at the moment."

"I've learned from the best that those sorts of statements just mean, 'I need a friend,' even more. Your time is up, Miss Neptune, I've come to pick your ass up," I remark, my eyes rapidly scanning the room… to fall on the curled up form of Neptune, sitting on a sofa in the corner. Her eyes shift onto me from behind her knees, and her arms around her legs tighten as she smiles bitterly. "Ah, right. Excuse me," I bow, closing the door carefully to avoid making noise, walking to sit down beside Neptune on the sofa. Glancing at her now and then as I gaze about the room, I sigh and weave my fingers together awkwardly. "I've never really been great at this whole small-talk thing, honestly, so, Neptune… spill it, tell me what's eating at you or I'm going to begin the torture."

She laughs, shaking her head as she looks at me, her eyes tired and dead. "I might go for the torture, if we're being real here and it'd be you doing it. Though, I guess… I've just been a bit out of it lately."

"This started over a month ago, so don't give me that. Hiding your emotions is normal for you, but you've been doing a pretty bad job at it, I hate to tell you. Is something going on with Nepgear? Histoire? Planeptune? Yourself?" She flinches at the mention of herself, and I narrow my eyes. "Bingo. Alright, Neptune - what's going on?"

She bites her lip, her nails digging into her thin legs as she grumbles quietly in annoyance. "I haven't changed my habits at all, it just looks like you've gotten better at reading me, yet again. Goddess, I shouldn't have had that conversation with you about Nep Jr. when we were recovering."

Is it like that? I don't really think we've bonded any more or less in the past year or two since the whole Deity of Sin deal. "Yeah, well, the time to repent for your better choices is over and done with. You're stuck with me, just like I'm stuck with you, so maybe you can stop beating around the bush."

"Mind if I take my secrets to the grave?" she asks, looking over at me with pleading eyes. Staring at her, I feel my resolve waver for an instant and then strengthen further as I smirk sympathetically, my hands moving to quickly arrest hers as I pull her into my lap, resting her head on my collarbone. She jumps, resisting for a few moments as she lets out sounds of disapproval before soon succumbing. "Damn it, Noire, that's not fair."

"I said I'd use drastic measures and maybe torture you. Now, you're stuck and you won't escape. I'm not gonna' budge on this," I say, blowing softly into her ear. She shifts at this, to which I use to my advantage as I better trap her against me, keeping my arm around her torso, just under her armpits.

"Aah… that's even dirtier. When the Nep did you get this stubborn?" she inquires, leaning her head back to look up at me. Ignoring the ticklish feeling of her hair on my skin, I shrug, answering her flatly.

"I learned from the best, after all."

She exhales deeply, her lips upturning. "Damn, I didn't know I'd rub off on you."

"Ready to talk yet, or do we have to see how much I'm willing to do to get you to talk?"

"That sounds inviting, though, fine, I guess. Maybe I've just been… wondering," she says, as if the word itself was hard to pronounce, and I raise an eyebrow. "Sorry, that's probably a really dumb way to say it. I've just been really… thinking about different things, lately. Probably a lot of… well…"

"Heavy, stupid stuff that you know I'm about to bat away? Let's get this over with so I can get your stupid smiles back," I say, using my free hand to comb her hair out of both intentions to reassure her and to just keep myself busy.

"Hahaha, I suppose that's about right. Well, ever since we dealt with the Deity of Sin, and that incident with Rei… are we really doing the right thing? Am _I_ doing the right thing? Am I the rolemodel Planeptune really needs or wants, or am I just forcing it on them since Nep Jr. loves me too much to usurp me?"

"You're… questioning your existence? Jeez, Neptune, an existential crisis is the source of all of this?" I remark, and she exhales in annoyance as I chuckle, dragging my hand down her neck, gently scratching her skin with my nails. After a few more movements of this, she calms down again, letting me continue. "It's not like those are abnormal, but, let me first ask you this - what _would_ the _right_ way be to handle things be?" I bring a finger to her lips as she opens her mouth to respond, smirking as I look down at her. "See, opinions are just that - opinions. You can probably find a hundred reasons why you're not fit for the role of patron CPU, but I can find a hundred as to why you are. Plus, what else would happen if you weren't around?"

"...What do you mean?" she asks after I remove my finger, her hands rising up to wrap around the hand I had over her mouth as she squeezes it, letting out a comforted breath.

"Well, for one, we'd probably all be dead with the whole, y'know, consistent onslaught of idiots, game-breaking bosses, and stress of being CPUs ourselves. You think any of the rest of us can handle being shipped to another dimension to live without us knowing who you always were? How about managing to unite all of Gamindustri, _twice_ , to bring peace instead of a lot of arguing, bickering and stabbing? Or, even, get this, deal with Histoire's lectures about life on a daily basis, and a populace that positively _lives_ off your lazy and lackadaisical nature?"

"...Huh?"

"Earth to Neptune, this is ground control to Major Dumbass - Planeptune only functions so well due to everyone loving you in a stress-free environment that _you_ created. You think Nepgear can handle all of the public relations and world-saving while also being a major paperwork hound?"

"You can do it, so maybe she could, too," she states flatly, her hands gripping mine to silently communicate that that fact seems to rest heavily on her mind.

I sigh, blowing into her ear before nipping it, watching her face redden as mine does the same. I chuckle awkwardly, exhaling. "I'm not a Planeptune CPU, I'm a workaholic that has a nation that reveres me for my effort and talent in business and management. Do they know me on a personal level? Do they avoid fighting with one another because they learned from my consistent friendliness and that my happy-go-lucky nature taught them it wasn't worth it? And, in case you couldn't figure it out - no. No, they do not. Lastation and Planeptune are highly different, and that isn't a bad thing - but I also hate to tell you, Nepgear could never hope to try to adjust to the same routine that I follow. My sister might be a good friend to her, but I'm _pretty sure_ they lack the competitive edge that the four of us always had. They're great sisters, but, Neptune, we both know that deep down, they will never be able to take up the mantles we both carry, and I'm sure Blanc knows that too. Not that Vert would, but, between you and me… _Vert's a shitty older sister._ "

Neptune chuckles quietly at this statement, shaking her head again. "I wouldn't break her precious heart by saying that, she adds to our group in her own way too."

"See? That's how you know we need your overly sensitive nature around. Blanc and I wouldn't care about insulting Vert to the same degree you do - we'd all still be fighting like… hungry wolves? I don't think we have jackals in this world. Huh."

She blinks, her eyes centering on my face, and I feel somewhat embarrassed by how intently her focus is glued on me. Shifting a little, she grins, nuzzling her head against me. "Wow, you couldn't even say that without getting blushy. That's pretty adorable, Noire.~"

"Oh, shut up. It's embarrassing to say half this crap at all, let alone to you," I remark, sighing. I blink in surprise as she begins playing with my pigtails, her hands soft and gentle. Coughing, I regain my composure quickly as I continue, "Are you feeling any better yet, you paranoid idiot?"

"Yeah, I might be. I already knew you'd eventually find me out and hunt me down to say everything, but I… kinda' needed to hear someone else say it, I guess, because I sort of feel… inadequate, I suppose? Wow, you take great care of your hair."

"...Y-yeah, I try to. Anyway, we all sometimes feel inadequate or not up to par, but that's when you have to slap your cheeks and get back into it, or at least come find me. Do you know that I've had thirty-plus days of consistent work on all of Lastation's projects lately?"

"...Wow, that's pretty amazing. Maybe I should…"

"I'm so Goddess-damned tired that I could pass out on my desk, legitimately. I haven't had to deal with you interrupting me anymore, and it's really making me find time to take breaks really hard."

She blinks, pausing, her face blank and dumbfounded, before suddenly erupting into a soft fit of laughter. Wrapping her arms around mine - the one still trapping her, of course - she holds onto me, kicking her legs into the air as she heartily lets out her amusement. "You… you… you really just… oh my Goddess… you tsundere queen… couldn't you just…"

"You're a pain in the ass, but apparently you're a necessary pain in the ass. Stop going off to sulk, you're no emo ninja."

Minutes pass as she slowly regains control over herself, her laughter slowly dying down as she settles more comfortably against me, her eyes staring off into an unknown distance. We stay silent for who knows how long, probably sharing some weird emotional bond.

"Hey, Noire?" Her voice is the first to break the quiet as she glances up at me nervously, biting her lip as her cheeks flush.

"Yeah, Neptune?" I respond, cocking an eyebrow in wonder.

"...Thanks, for this. I needed it."

"You owe me one, though that's not really all that new. Just… do me a favor, okay?" I start, hesitating for a moment.

"Anything. Now, whatcha' want? Some Neptune-exclusive lovin'? Dinner first, or a bath, or… me?" she suggests, smirking.

Ignoring her, I say, "Don't disappear on me, alright? Things are different when you're gone. Too different. It screws with my work schedule and my habits, and it just feels wrong. Promise me that you'll come find me if something's happening or you need advice, next time, alright?"

She pauses, her face settling into a neutral frown as she looks off in contemplation, her eyes cloudy for a moment or two before she nods, saying something quietly to herself. Tightening her grip on my arm, she wiggles upward to rest her back against my chest, leaning her head against mine, her amethyst eyes shifting onto me. "Yeah, Noire, I can do that. I won't disappear, either."

"Promise it, you dolt. I'll only accept it then," I reprimand her as she laughs, grinning.

"Alright, fine. I _promise_ I won't leave you alone, my Lonely Heart. I'll even give you the benefit of being my best friend."

"Hah, I'll take it."

* * *

 **Aaand... done, for now. Might go ahead and do more of this again with a new idea to deepen their bond further, though, it might not suit people's tastes, so I don't know. The whole cusp is just fun to toy with, and I think I captured this well enough.**

 **Gonna' keep it short as I'm just content. I finished MDNV2, got the normal ending, which kind of bummed me out, but it was alright, I suppose. Will replay it sometime over the next month again, probably, and maybe replay the other games again too, or just focus on slamming out more writing. Who knows?**

Hit me up with some feedback or some commentary - did this feel like OS-14, or did it lack the same life to it? Curious, since I reread bits of both after finishing and felt it came together well, though I might just be tooting my own horn. Ah, anyway - I hope you enjoyed, I'll see you all later.

Tainted out.


	19. One-shot 19! Missed Opportunity

**This is just a little something I spit out as I wanted to write, but didn't know what to do, since my other current Neptunia projects and other game fics both didn't sound all too appealing. Truthfully, maybe it's a reflection of self as I got an hour and a half of sleep last night, but, hey, it worked out and I _think_ I nailed the characters as well as I usually do. Maybe even better for less OoC, if I do say so myself.**

 **Noire's a worrywart, Neptune's either only half with it or a complete Neptune, and the unspoken edge between the two of them continues on into the expanse! Also, no Nepgear nor Uni in this, so I suppose you could shoot this as... a dimension unrelated to the others, set with the same sort of map of Re;birth V2 and V3, maybe? Hell, it just exists, so hopefully it works. :)**

 **Since I have nothing else to really say, onward!**

* * *

 **[Neptune, somewhere on the outskirts of Planeptune]**

Sprawling out a random grassy hill, I yawn, stretching my arms and legs outward comfortably as the sun warms me up from head to feet. I close my eyes, smiling tiredly, listening to the gentle chirp of boxbirds and various other creatures in the distance, wondering what I'm going to do with my day today. Maybe I should take a nice, comfortable nap? But, I can't help but feel I forgot something totally important… maybe? Eh, I'm sure if it's super important, I'll find out again soon. Time for a naaaa…

"Neptune, I _swear_ I'm going to kill you," Noire's voice carries across the grassy field as I lift my head, groaning at the instantaneous interruption to my relaxation, frowning at the twintailed tsundere queen herself as she stomps over toward me, her hands trembling. "You… forgot… and… came here… to… _nap?!_ "

"Who's this? What's happenin'? Who's hollerin'? While I'm stretched back, mag sittin'?" I call, tilting my head while staring at her curiously. What the Nep's her problem all of a sudden?

"Text reads, yo, somethin's going on, and I think you should reach 'cuz somethin's going on… wait, why the hell am I falling into your pace, anyway?! You forgot about your agreement today, _that's_ what's happening!" she exclaims, shaking her hands at me as she glares, and I purse my lips.

"What's the dealio, though? I really don't remember what we were supposed to be doing, so… I'm sorry, I guess, Noire? Think you can scope the deets on this gat for me… homie?"

She sighs, placing her palm firmly into her face before nodding, setting said hand on her hip now. Brushing one of her pigtails away, she poses in that normal… sexy Noire pose, thing, that she always tries to have going on. Well, if you got it, flaunt it, right? "I was roped into helping you do some dungeon clearing for Planeptune by Histoire for today and tomorrow, _remember_? You agreed to meet me at the Basilicom, and when I showed up, Histoire said you had already departed… and then lectured _me_ on keeping an eye on you… and _now you're here, taking a damn nap._ "

"...Oooohhh… so _that's_ what I was forgetting! Alright, clear as day to me now, I swear! Sorry, sorry, Noire. But even the best of us make mistakes, right?" I say with a wary smile, hopping to my feet as she tilts her head away for some reason, embarrassed. Wonder what that's about?

"...You _did_ grab the coordinates though, right?"

"Huh? 'Course not, I thought you had them."

"Ah, hell. Well, to avoid _both_ of us being tracked down by Histoire… I suppose we can just go ahead and clear out everything… like a good CPU should already be doing," she remarks, crossing her arms as she exhales tiredly, and I pout at her. "What now?"

"That was kind of mean, Noire. I may have a scatterbrain sometimes, but you don't need to take stabs at me, too," I respond, spinning on my heel to quickly look around the field area curiously. Nothing really pops up as out of the ordinary or filled with a ton of monsters, but I _do_ remember seeing a couple caves south of here, I think. Other than that… I dunno! I hear Noire struggling to say something, but I opt to just get a move on so we can get onto something more fun as I exclaim, "Alright! I think our first destination's down that way from here," I point to show her, turning to look at her surprised expression. "Shall we?"

"Y-yeah, I suppose that'd be good. Lead the way, then, Neptune."

"Allllright, Capitan! Just leave it to me. And away we go!" I shout, dashing up the hill and across the grassy terrain, enjoying the feel of the air on me. Yeah, today would _definitely_ be a good day to take a nap. Gotta' get this done quick. "How many places do you think we should beat up for Histy, Noire?" I call over to her as she races after me.

"Uh… I guess… seven or eight?" she responds, and I nod. "We probably should do more though, if they're close or dangerous, for Planeptune's sake."

"Yeah, but that'd mean the Guild would have less assignments, wouldn't it?"

"True, since they mainly operate out of Planeptune, but… it's still an obligatory to do your best for your people," she says, and I notice from a brief glance that she's frowning at me. Huh, did I say something out of character?

"Planeptune's never got a problem with monster hordes, though! We're like invincible!"

"If you say so…," she answers, sighing as we continue on in silence.

 **[Noire, arriving at the first destination]**

She's really not acting like herself today. Maybe that's not abnormal sometimes, but… it's weird to see, especially right now. I'm not sure what to even try and say, anymore, since she seems so damn focused on slacking off and relaxing all of a sudden - which… actually isn't abnormal either, but she just feels _off_. I can't help but be concerned as one CPU to another… yeah, that sounds fair.

"So, this is the first one I can think of!" she chirps, materializing her weapon while running toward the cave's entrance. Opting to check the outside for a few minutes, I hear her chattering about, "I'm surprised this cave has monsters in it recently, since I coulda' sworn I took a nap in here with a bear that was forcing a raccoon to gather it snacks earlier this week." Okay, so some new weird reference, I'm sure, as my search ends up with no results. "Hey, hey, Noire, you done yet? Let's get this over with."

I sigh, nodding, feeling somewhat agitated at her behavior today. I can't really pinpoint it, but did I maybe somehow set her off from before? Surely, she can't be feeling more sensitive about her role as patron CPU of Planeptune, can she? She never cared before, so that'd just be dumb… but not unheard of, maybe. Ugh, what a pain in the ass. "Yeah, how far does this cave go into the mountain, Neptune… Eh?" She already dashed inside, the clamor of combat sounding as I narrow my eyes, feeling one of my eyelids twitch in annoyance. "...Okay."

Materializing my weapon, I leap forward, planting my blade firmly in a bat that was attempting to attack her from behind. Sweeping it sideways, I connect my swipe with the face of a healing dogoo that flies backward, bursting into data. She hurriedly swats away two more bats, pivoting on her heel to bring her blade down onto the head of a large wolf. Huffing, she swivels her head around, searching for more targets before running off again, leaving me to chase after her in hopes that she knows what she's doing.

Okay, _what is her problem_ all of a sudden? This is _too_ out of the ordinary, even for Neptune's antics. Did Histoire say something beforehand? Setting the thought aside, I channel energy into my blade, releasing it in a horizontal arc to wipe out an encroaching horde of dogoo as Neptune dices apart a red tortoise. Wiping her brow, she nods, giving me a thumbs up and a contented grin for the first time since we started talking, and I smile and nod to her.

Okay, that's a _bit_ more normal.

Though, as soon as I think that, she rushes off again to engage another swarm of bats in which she weaves between, dicing them into nothingness. Pursing my lips, I walk after her path of chaos, stabbing a couple stragglers that she misses as we proceed deeper into the cave. Allowing her to play vanguard for whatever reason she wants to, today, I simply support her as needed as she wipes out segment after segment, and then we're at the end of the cave. Exchanging surprised looks, we fistbump before departing back into the grassy expanses surrounding Planeptune.

Pulling out a map, I quickly scan it as she hums, her eyes flicking akin to that of a cat's as she seems to be trying to recall another destination. Let's see… Virtua Forest is kind of a waste of our time, but the area behind it is an uncharted swamp… so maybe… "Hey, Neptune, maybe we ought to check out… ah, and she's gone again. Goddess damn it all." I sigh, putting the map away as I pursue her fading silhouette, allowing her to lead us along the side of the mountain to yet another cave… that emanates some impressive warmth. A volcano in the back? This might be interesting. "Oi, Neptune, after this, we should check out that swamp behind Virtua Forest. I heard it has some weird noxious monsters coming out of it that we might want to waylay for any up-and-coming adventurers training in the forest in front of it."

"Yeah, we can do that," she responds as she enters the cave, her voice somewhat dismissively distant. Pursing my lips again, I bite back my concern and annoyance as I follow her, watching her wipe out another couple of swarms of block-shaped creatures and bats, again while I pick off the ones she misses. Maybe I should have grabbed some pistols if I knew she was going to act like this today. "Hey… Noire."

"Yeah, what's up, Neptune?" I answer her instantaneously, kicking myself for doing that. Embarrassing. "Ah, large wolf to your left."

"Yeah, on it." She steps forward, engaging a skill as her blade glows blue, chaining it in some impressive combination as it despawns into nothingness. Straightening her posture, she yawns. "This is kind of boring. Want to take a nap or something after this?"

I blink, cocking an eyebrow. Is she joking, or…? "No, we need to lessen the monster population around Planeptune so that everyone is safe to travel and gather materials without worrying about looking over their shoulder."

"Yeah, but that's not really fun," she complains, pouting at me. My eyelid twitches again, and I ball one of my fists tightly, channeling my anger into just my arm as I sigh, shrugging at her. "Maybe we should get Iffy and Compa to help. That might be more fun."

Ouch. "...Yeah, that might be good, I guess. Though, isn't Compa busy at that hospital again? And IF is… currently at Leanbox with Vert, I think."

"Ehhh… I'm sure they won't mind! I'm gonna' go call them, so do you want to finish clearing this place out?" she asks halfheartedly as she heads for the cave's entrance, departing before I can formulate a proper response.

"...You really aren't yourself today," I mutter, sighing. Whatever, I've been doing this anyway unbeknownst to Histoire and Neptune, so I guess I'll clear this place out and go check on that swamp. Narrowing my eyes, I step forward, drawing my blade as I slice through the length of a large wolf and then kick a bat away. Channeling my energy once more, I release a blast from my sword, proceeding further into the cave.

 **[Neptune, somewhere outside Planeptune's outskirts, several hours later]**

My consciousness returns to me as I yawn, sitting up while rubbing one of my eyes, looking around. When the Nep did I get here? Last thing I did was try and phone Compa and Iffy, but no luck, huh… Ah, right, I decided to take that nap. I wonder how long I've been out? It can't have been as long as that weird message up there says. Change that to a few minutes!

Well, whatever. Since I can't really figure it out anyway as I didn't check the time before I laid down, I hop to my feet and stretch, smiling to myself. I'm sure it wasn't long enough that Noire'll be super pissed, and I'm sure she hasn't gotten that far ahead since I ditched her. Heading over to the cave we entered together earlier, I quickly explore it to find it completely devoid of monsters, and frown. That's _never_ a good sign. Doubling back, I explore that weird swamp that I think she mentioned, and it turned up empty too. _Oh no._ Feeling a pang of worry, I pause and look around, trying to think where else has a lot of monsters. Um, uh, um…

Ah, right! There's that resort southeast of here with all the penguins and gigantic whales that people fear so much! Maybe she's there. Nodding to myself, I rush off in search of my twintailed bestie, my eyes scanning the scenery around me as I run. Empty, empty, empty… there's like, _nothing_ around here anymore. Crap, how long have I been asleep?

Stumbling onto the pier that marks the start of this bizarre seaside resort, an initial checkup notes that most of the monsters are still around, and I frown. Did I pick the wrong area? Well, she could've gone anywhere, really. Scratching my head, I weigh out wiping out these things, though… I'm not entirely sure I can do it by myself. But then, who can, since there's a path carved going deeper? The mystery never ends.

Well, you'll never get anywhere if you don't go anywhere, so, I guess I'll clean up some of the stragglers. Materializing my blade, I engage a small group of penguins a safe distance away from one of those gigantic doomwhales. Barely dodging one of them trying to headbutt me, I cut down one and hop over another, stabbing at it. The thing spins around, slapping me with a flipper - which surprisingly hurts like being smacked with a bag of rocks, if we're being real here - as I grunt, cutting it down. Left with the last of the trio, I engage a skill and cut it down in two charged slices forming an 'X.' Wiping my brow, I shake off the feeling of the penguin's hit, opting to follow the carved-out path instead of fighting that whale.

My feet clomp quietly on the boardwalk, and I peer about in wonder - maybe Noire really did come through and wipe this place out, but that'd mean our levels of experience are way far apart now… again. It kind of frustrates me, but, I guess she always _is_ the more hardworking of the two of us. I hope she's alright. These things might be rough, even for just her.

Arriving at the end of the pier, I notice that everything besides that branch off to the left when I came in was wiped out perfectly. Yup, complete genocide of the entire area. Not like we'll get flagged for endangering or extinction of species. Good thing we're Goddesses and these things eventually respawn out of nowhere, or we'd be on quite a few lists now, I'm sure!

And yet, no sign of Noire. Did she… maybe clean this place out and already move on? That's a scary thought. A quick search turns up… exactly that. Crap, crap, crap. She's going to kill me at this rate. I need to find her soon. Searching my memory, I remember there's a… wait a minute, I hear flailing.

Shifting my attention to the waters behind the guard rails, I notice a small portion of railing seems to have fallen into the water… where I see Noire, gulping and gasping for air. Naturally, I panic and dive over the edge, quickly hoisting her out of the water as best I can, helping her weakly climb back onto the pier. Getting out after her, I see her crawling toward the center, coughing up water. Frowning, I try patting her back… which seems to help, I like to think, as she spits out more and more seawater. Can she… not swim?

"I… swear to Goddess… if you ever talk about this… I'll _kill_ you…," she threatens, offering me an icy glare as I step back, gulping. "Ugh… that water tastes… _disgusting_ , too…! And my clothes… Damn it!" Pushing off the ground, she staggers to her feet as she tries to fix and dry out her outfit and hair whilst retying her ribbons firmly into place.

"...Hey… are you okay?" I ask, cautiously, daringly taking a step toward her to inspect her as she preens over herself. Her eyes flick over to me, a slight redness spreading over her cheeks as she nods silently, sighing.

"I'm alright, just had a bit of a moment there. I've… never learned to swim, so it's really good that you showed up out of nowhere. How did you even think to come here though, anyway? I haven't seen you for the past four or five hours."

I pause, laughing nervously as I scratch the back of my head. "I, uh, guess I just sort of got lucky. I checked a lot of different places where I thought you might be and then decided to come check here with the super difficult resort monsters, wondering if you'd sort of just Yukari your way in out of nowhere to yell at me for disappearing."

She pauses, frowning contemplatively before shrugging. "It's… fine, I guess. I owe you for ensuring I don't obtain the first title of 'CPU Who Drowned.' Though, what _were_ you doing?"

"I was, uh… reflecting on my life choices?"

"...You took a nap and dozed off after IF and Compa were busy, then?" she asks flatly, and I can _sense_ the ice in her tone. Oh, crap, oh crap oh crap oh crap! "So… while I've been cleaning up your nation, you decided to sleep and go missing? How… thoughtful, Neptune."

"I-I-I-I-I can explain! I… uh… was really drop-dead tired when Histy forced me out of bed this morning, and I just felt dead on my feet… yeah! It was going to happen one way or another, it just came at a really inconvenient time… so… uh… _please don't hurt me_ ," I whisper pleadingly, watching as her lips upturn in an innocent smile while her eyebrows narrow down in a 'V' shape, her nails digging into her palms. "I'm… I'm sorry, Noire!"

"You mean to tell me…," I flinch, stepping back, bracing to run, "...your rude and inconsiderate behavior today… was over a **lack of sleep**?!" She shouts at me, her eyes trembling in anger as she sighs. "I was worried over you over **sleep,** for Goddesses' sakes?! Goddess, how could I _ever_ expect you to have a _normal_ reason for anything?! Ugh, I'm ashamed of myself!"

"Wait… you were worried about me? I was acting off?" I ask, watching her freeze up and stutter, her face heating up as if I just exposed her crush on me or something. Not like she has one of those, anyway, but, maybe things would be different if she did… just kidding, haha! Wishful thinking. "What do you mean, Noire?"

She gulps, shaking her head. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. You're back to yourself and that's what counts - I don't have to feel like I somehow upset you anymore. What a relief."

"You'd never upset me, though?" I say, cocking my head in wonder. Taking a step toward her subconsciously, I smile. "You're Noire, and that's enough of a reason why, right there," I continue cheerfully, feeling my face heat up a little at saying this.

"...W-what the hell is that supposed to mean? That doesn't even make sense!" she exclaims, leaning back in embarrassment. She really is quick to freak out, huh? Or maybe I should read into this more? Naaah… I'm sure she's just shy and timid. Can't be more.

"It makes perfect sense, though! Since I'm, like, your only and best friend, and you're one of my besties, too, how could I ever get mad at you?" I answer her like she's a complete idiot, frowning at her. "This is simple stuff, y'know, Noire. Maybe we need to give you a Nep-styled class on 'friends' and stuff."

"W-we do not! I know plenty about friends! You're just Neptune, so you defy all logic to begin with!" she retorts, and I smirk.

"What's that mean, huh?~ What else do I do that defies logic, Noire?~"

"...E-e-everything! Just shut up, you're so… ugh. Can we just… go, now? I already cleared out the mountain paths and valleys up north, the swamp, and the caves, and I don't think one whale will be the death of your stupid nation, so can we just go so I can go get changed now? I don't need a cold on top of wasting so many hours worrying over nothing."

"Sure, we can. I'll even help you.~"

"N-N-NO, YOU WON'T, SINCE THIS IS YOUR FAULT TO BEGIN WITH," she yells, stomping away, leaving me to blink, my mouth curling into a curious grin.

"...So does that mean if it wasn't my fault, I could, then?~"

"..."

* * *

 **I think I'm titling this one, 'Missed Opportunity.' Why? Because that's what this all built up to. Of course, I considered dragging it into Noire getting sick, maybe some lovin', but... pretty sure I did that once before, or maybe a few times. I should either revamp old shots or just do them over again, but that seems like a cop-out so eh. Who knows? Maybe I'll just keep pushing forward.**

 **And, also, I do intend to continue extending UNep/UNoire in OS-17 quite a bit. It's fun. ;)**

 **And, I will never not find more reasons for this pairing to exist. It is my obsession. :D**

 **Though, that's about it for my personal rambling. Hit me with whatever you want to say, say hi if you want, throw me another new idea onto the pile for more stuff done in my weird Neptunia styles, or just continue to ghost. Up to you, really!**

Tainted out, for now.~

also for those of you who don't get the first reference, i decided to throw a song reference to NFS:Carbon, Wolf's After Party theme. might be really obscure due to genre differences. just thought i'd bring that one up in specifics in case people wondered.


	20. One-shot 20! Conquest, Shmonquest

**Heya, everybody. :) Tainted here with a random update to the one-shot list. Note that this might be a bit choppy and a little wonky, especially considering I never had the gumption to play Rebirth V2 for the ending entailed in this story, but I did some reading up on it and decided to take a different spin on altering it.**

 **It's short, and it cuts out a lot of potential expansion for various things, but considering it's a one-shot, I decided to just keep it sweet and simple. Here, we see the embodiment of perhaps a close friendship of Nep and Noire, or perhaps a plausible development of more. I dunno, I just enjoy writing about them. Anyway, I'll bust out my actual banter at the bottom.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Sunlight streams in from the folds in my curtains, casting beams onto my face. I wince, grumbling quietly as I raise a hand, trying to cover my eyes as I roll over. It's morning already? I could've sworn I had _just_ gotten to sleep. Sighing, I open my eyes slowly and consider for a moment - do I _want_ to get out of bed? It doesn't really sound like a worthwhile musing, but then again, I've been spending a _lot_ of time resting since we were rescued, and now I'm sort of just wasting away. Really, that doesn't befit me - doing nothing but paperwork and sleeping just… doesn't sit well. I'm not sure where everyone is, right now, but perhaps I'll go out and do some hunting to get back into the swing of things…

Slowly lifting my legs heavily over the side of the plush black blankets, I set my feet gingerly onto the floor as I sit up, stretching. It's been like this for a while now, if I'm really thinking about it - our sisters are really active nowadays, working hard to save the world while Blanc, Vert and I have been sort of lazing about. Not that people blame us, mind it - three years bound up and without shares _is_ pretty serious, but it doesn't sit well with _me_ personally. After all, there's a peppy dolt out there with them doing what the rest of us aren't, and that by itself is enough to spark my competitive edge again, at least a little bit. It's not as though I'm actually a little concerned about her, either - it's just a desire to _truly_ settle back into the role of the perfect CPU.

Shaking my head gently while smiling, I stand up and lift my arms over my head, running through my new routine of stretches to loosen and limber myself up as I slip my nightie off my shoulders, letting it fall carelessly to the floor. Walking over to my wardrobe, I briefly pick out my usual dress, leaning on the edge of the bed as I hurriedly put all of my garb on. Replacing my silk scrunchies for my classic blue ribbons, I smile softly. Grabbing my blade, I fasten it to a small belt around my waist, nodding as I check my appearance in the mirror - I don't care as much about fixing up my hair, for once, and just really want to get back into the swing of things. Uni's done enough by herself, I'd say - I'll acknowledge her growth, but she still has quite the way to go to be able to take over my responsibilities.

Sighing softly, I stretch one last time, departing from the Basilicom as I travel about Lastation, wondering. If I recall, things have begun to look somewhat grim for Gamindustri, with the enemy apparently being far stronger than we had first expected - a decisive _duh_ if I'm being personally honest, but whatever. I remember that the group had departed to LAN Castle in search of some cursed sword after telling the three of us to get some rest, but they had yet to report back. Frowning, I decide my best bet is to likely head to Planeptune and check with Histoire - come CFW, ASIC, or anything else, I and all of Lastation will falter no longer.

 **[Planeptune's Basilicom]**

Oh, wow. I came through the door to find Blanc and Vert also standing by, alongside the main group who seem to be huddled around Histoire with deep concern and wonder. Histoire's face is plastered with a very serious, sullen expression, and everyone else seems just as grim. Blinking, I brush away my hair and approach, coughing. They jump collectively, turning to stare at me in… horror? Uni rushes over, looking up at me with worry.

"Is… everything alright, you guys? You look rather out of it, and that's putting it nicely," I start, tilting my head.

"Hello, Noire. We are just discussing… the legacy and history of this atrocious weapon," Vert remarks, eyeing the blade with disgust. It looks like some normal, dinky old sword, though…?

"Yes, it seems as though there was something dark hidden under Gamindustri's surface," Blanc adds, her eyebrows furrowed in what seems to be a mixture of dismay and anger.

"It… may be best to not utilize this weapon unless we have no other alternatives," Histoire concludes, and I sigh, crossing my arms.

"Okay, you all are acting _way_ too weird. Spill it, what's going on with that poor excuse for a weapon?" I ask as they collectively avert their eyes. My eyelid twitches in annoyance, and I stamp my foot in an attempt to grab someone's attention… to earn Nepgear's focus. Neptune's little sister - the kind and dutiful one that seems to have been the spearhead for all of the progress up to now. Neptune lifts her head behind her, her face… extremely weird, to say the least, and now I suddenly feel a strange pang in my gut.

"This blade… strengthens upon the death of CPUs, Miss Noire."

"...Pardon? That's a pretty sick joke, you know."

"It's not false, Noire. We have records of its existence - it has a magical power of empowering upon devouring the soul and essence of a CPU," Histoire points out grimly, and I raise an eyebrow.

"So, why are we just sitting around staring at it, like we're being sentenced to die? Just stick it in a high-security vault or chuck it into a giant volcano," I answer in annoyance, sighing. "You don't need to look so grim and unpleasant, guys."

"...If we utilize this, we may be able to defeat Arfoire and the Deity of Sin," Nepgear says, lifting her head. I blink, furrowing my brow as I offer her an ' _Excuse me?_ ' expression. She flinches, but balls a fist against her chest, nodding. "It may be our only option."

"And it may not be, as far as I'm concerned. I think you _all_ are a bit too tense," I say as Uni hugs my side. I raise an arm, patting her head - she's looking at me like I'm going to die. "I don't really care _what_ it does, offering my life to a blade that does something like that is a pretty poor way to go."

"I agree. We have other options," Blanc says, nodding as she glances over at Nepgear in apprehension. It seems she senses something, as well.

"I will fight to my final breath in battle, not as fodder for a strange bad-ending blade. I would give the game developers a massive booing for such an option," Vert adds.

Neptune stays silent, her eyes resting shakily on me. I get the notion that she wants to talk, but not in front of everyone. I guess I'll have to find an opening somewhere to elude everyone else, if my guess is right - not that I really know, though; she might just want to unwind and talk to me about something dumb.

"Everyone, I think…"

"Nepgear, I apologize - you have done a lot for everyone here, and for Gamindustri, but I am _not_ complying with this idea. There are better options that can result in none of us dying, and you will respect that decision," I state curtly, eyeing her with an icy glare. "If you insist, I will take this as a declaration of war against Lastation, and I _will_ see to it that you pay for your treasonous uprising. Neptune, I need to talk to you in private. Uni, I need you to figure out a good place to practice at so I can get back into fighting shape, alright?" my voice is firm and unwavering, even if I _am_ a bit worried about the future, myself. Uni raises her head in surprise, staring not at me, but _into_ me, searching for…

"...Yes, sister. I won't lose you a second time. Let's work hard and prepare to kick her butt, right?" she responds, smiling weakly. I pat her head and nod, smirking.

"Lastation has only had one technical loss in its existence, and it damn well won't have a second, okay? Just trust me, and we'll show the Deity and Arfoire that they picked the wrong sisters to piss off." She nods, her posture relaxing slightly as her mood seems to improve exponentially before she excuses herself, departing to look for somewhere to bring me. "Neptune, come on. I could use your opinion on something, or something like that," I grumble, snapping my fingers in front of her to knock her out of that weird trance. "Let's go for a walk. Hey, Vert, Blanc," they glance over at us as I grab Neptune by the ear, earning an annoyed squeal from her, "You two need to tag along with Uni and I, we're going to practice until we're back to peak form so we can wipe the floor with that hag."

"Yes." "Understood." Both grin at me, their expressions brightening a bit, as well. Their eyes shift to Neptune and then to me, offering a pleading inquiry silently. I nod, tugging Neptune away from a lost-looking Nepgear.

"Aaagh… Noire… I know that you're the Tsun Queen and all… but this really hurts, and it… only works in a manga…"

"Shut up and walk. You're not getting away."

"Oh man… Someone! Someone! Delete my search history! Take good care of my consoles and pudding!" she shouts into the distance, but she doesn't actually fight me as I escort her from the Basilicom's main room and then over to where her room is. Ushering her inside, I give her a gentle push, closing the door behind us before crossing my arms, giving her a scrutinizing eyebrow raise. She stumbles a little before turning, flopping back onto a beanbag chair in the center of the room as she sighs, raising a hand to the ceiling. "So… you _just_ got back and you're already calling shots?"

"Someone has to if you're going to keep being completely out of character. Those were even some weak-ass wall-breaks, and you know it. What are you thinking in that pea-sized brain of yours?" I say, pacing over to sit beside her on the beanbag chair, except quite a bit more primly.

With a sidelong stare, she grumbles, "Who's asking?"

"Your... best friend, you dumbass. I'm great at doing everything, including reading your moods, you know," I respond flatly, pinching her hip as she yelps, jerking away from me. "I'll torture you for your secrets, Neptune."

"No, no, Mistress. Not there…!~" she says suddenly, and I blink and slap her shoulder as I feel my face heat up with an unnecessary thought, and she chuckles. Sitting up slightly, her expression softens, but her eyes grow… strange. "I'm… at a loss, Noire."

"Really? You look like you're _totally_ full of confidence and ideas, Neptune. I had no idea."

"You don't need to be such a Jerk Heart," she remarks softly, sighing. "Hey, can I ask for a favor before we do this?"

"What's up? If it's a free ticket out of this conversation, you can bet your ass…"

"...Can you keep this a secret from Nepgear?"

"...Sure, if you want. It's not like we're going to talk much right now, anyway, if she keeps pushing the idea of that stupid sword at us," I remark, running a hand through my hair as I yawn. "I got out of bed to come and see you all pouting and whining, you know. At least make me promise something more interesting."

She pauses, smirking. "Hold me while we talk, my dear…~"

"...E-eh?!" I jump, my eyes widening as she rolls over onto me, hugging me. "H-hey! Don't just… use those as your pillow! That tickles!"

"Oh man, the real life Noire as my bodypillow. Life's so good.~"

" _J-just focus on the damn point here._ And don't you dare move my clothes."

"Can I after?"

"...I-if you want to die, sure."

"...Sounds interestingly inviting," she remarks, and I blink. "I… might go through with the sword idea."

Silence as my body instinctively raises a hand, slapping Neptune's cheek. She winces and goes to exclaim in pain, but I grab her by her chin, lifting her face to look directly at mine, my mind on autopilot. " **Don't you dare ever say that to me again if you value our friendship or your life, Neptune.** " She quivers suddenly, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes as her grip on me tightens.

"...N… Noire… Have… I done a good job?" she asks weakly, and I nod, raising my other hand to comb her hair gently, frowning. "...But, Nep Jr.'s stronger than me now."

"No, she isn't."

"She's done what we couldn't do. She's dutiful and dedicated, and…"

"She's also your shadow, whether she wants to be or not," I say matter-of-factly, rolling my eyes. "I don't care what she's managed to accomplish - she isn't you, and Uni isn't me, and Arfoire and the Deity of Sin are just two more baddies for us to beat the crap out of. Goddess, you guys are all so sulky and emo."

She laughs sadly, nodding. "It's like we all became you and you became us."

"Now _that_ was just rude, Neptune."

She smirks at me, shrugging. "Still, I think leaving things in Nep Jr.'s hands…"

"Is a good way to get all of us killed for a really terrible ending when we could just, oh, you know, _combine forces_ , like we usually do, and beat it to hell. Goddess, it's like you stopped with that protagonist crap to just annoy me. Pick yourself up, Neptune."

"...I don't really know how, this time, Noire. I feel like a failure of an older sister."

"Then," I say, wiggling under her as I push her backward onto the floor, biting my lip in hesitation as I firmly plant myself in her lap now, leaning over her. "It's time to become worthy of being her elder sister and patron CPU. She isn't the ruler of Planeptune - you are. Neptune, you're going to act like it until you stop breathing, got it?"

Tears begin to well up in her eyes as she stares up at me weakly, and it only now occurs to me how vulnerable she is right now. She really needs a pick-me-up of some sort, but I don't even know what. "What if I fail, again?"

"Then… I'll be here to pick you up and cover for you. We're… best friends, aren't we?"

"...Yeah… Yeah, you're right, we are," her voice is still shaky and feeble, but it's beginning to come around. The tears stream down the sides of her face, and an idea occurs to me that might jumpstart some life in her, but… so embarrassing… Ugh, if it's for Neptune… I lean forward, gently dragging my cheek along the tear trails, nuzzling it away as she suddenly squeaks, and I feel her hands rise up to grab my shoulders in alarm. "N-N-Noire, what're you doing?"

"Trying to cheer you up, if just a bit. It sounds like it's working. So…," I smirk, feeling a sudden emotion well up inside me - her reactions aren't negative, just cautious, so… "You seem to like it when I get close, huh?"

Her eyebrows rise as her eyes widen, her hands grip my shoulders a little more tightly, gently trying to pull me down. "...I'm… uh… just trying to secure the first member of a harem route… yeah."

" _Pffffft_ , that one was still pretty weak, Nep~tune~," I sing softly into her ear as she shifts, emitting a soft sound. Smirking, I lick the outer edges of her ear, watching her squirm. "Especially since…"

"Nnn… Noire… I… I might be… okay."

"Ohh? Prove it to me," I say, lifting my head to narrow my eyes on hers, and she gulps. "If you fail to show me you've got some of that lovable yet annoying Neptune spark that you always shove in our faces, I'll punish you now, Neptune."

"...Gulp. I unlocked the Tsundom Noire now, didn't I?" she mumbles, her eyes shifting over various parts of the room, and then myself. I intently keep my attention on her, grinning, waiting. "Um… uh… cue someone walking through the door in the next five minutes?"

"Oh, so five minutes of no zeal and pep, then? Then, time to start," I whisper gingerly, and she shifts, her eyes widening. Leaning down gently, I lick her neck as she shivers, dragging a finger along her collarbone. Goddess, I'm never going to live this down if she brings it up in front of everyone - my… devotion to helping her get better is the only reason I'm able to do this at all. No other reason! "You're sensitive, huh, Neptune…?"

"H-hey, I'm just… going with this seriously Yuri flow."

"Oh, so we're raising our Lily Ranks by doing this? If we go… f-further, think it'll rise faster?" I say, my lips upturning in delight as she suddenly writhes under me.

"Noooo! My… my first time can't… be on the floor… Not my precious flower, Noire! Noooo!" she begins shouting, and I gasp in horror - she's making a scene. Instinctively, I stand up as quickly as I can, staggering as I fall onto the bed, glaring at her while she slowly crawls backwards. "Help, Noire's going to deflower meeee!"

" _I'm noooot!_ "

...Needless to say, multiple people burst through the door as Neptune frantically, but very Neptune'ly, formulates a bizarre story about how I intended to tie her up and… Goddess, I won't get too intimate for my own sake, these are some pretty weird semi-meta smut concepts she's spewing out, as I simply keep my hands over myself protectively as I eye her in embarrassment, denying all accusations. Icing on the cake, however? I heard the first part of that sentence - the _real_ part, and all of what actually transpired never came to light in this discussion. My heart can only blissfully pound anxiously as I wonder what that means.

Now, we eventually quiet down as a whole, and I slide off the bed to pat her head as she slowly stands up. Tilting my head, I offer her an inquisitive smile, to which she bobs her head and beams, raising both thumbs to show she's alright. Mission success, I guess.

...Though, I might need to go handle a few things after this is all said and done.

We depart as a group to some field outside of Planeptune, where we spar with one another in droves - choosing to do a lot of three-on-ones and large-scale battles as we slowly up the ante in attempts to raise the bar for improvement. Nepgear slowly shakes off that weird trance she also seemed to be in, the whole… hell-bent on strengthening that sword, gig, and we work together alongside that group of human girls she collected, as well as Compa and IF, to train and spar well into the night. Honestly, I'll say, I think it was a massive success.

Now, to put it into action…

 **[Cue the epilogue of the true ending route, really. None of that hardcore extermination crap.]**

It's been a little while now, with everyone still alive and well… well, aside from the Deity and Arfoire, who now are _presumably_ dead and gone and forever extinct and whatnot. Yeah, I hope so, because she's a pain in the ass. Yawning softly, I stretch my arms over my head while I enjoy the sunlight on my body as I take a short break in one of the Basilicom's many forested rest areas that they built for Uni and I. Lifting a small cup of tea to my lips, I sip it gently as Uni calls out to me, approaching while waving. She sets a hefty stack of paperwork beside her, and I raise an eyebrow at her.

"...I've almost caught up, sister," she says, beaming. Nodding at her, I extend a hand to pet her head as her expression brightens even further, and it's almost like sparkles start appearing around her now as she shifts into my hand. "Just you wait, I'll be your equal in no time!"

I chuckle, shrugging. "If you want to be that badly, good luck with trying. You've done a great job, Uni, but you don't _have_ to try so hard, you know."

She shakes her head, her eyes resting firmly on me. "I'll become your equal so that whenever the next problem comes up, I'll be there right beside you so that Lastation never has another blemish on our record."

"Hah, I'll accept that goal wholeheartedly, but you've got a bit of a way to go to _really_ catch up. Though…," I trail off, glancing up to the sky as she hums curiously. "Maybe… we should go and do something together, as sisters, later, after we finish up here. Want to?"

"...Y… Yeah! That'd be cool! I mean… uh, if I have no other obligations." We laugh together, and I offer her the rest of my tea as I lean back in my chair, staring gently at her. She's at first embarrassed and hesitant to accept tea that I had already been drinking, but seems to accept it after a bit of fretting. We exchange glances at one another, and Uni clears her throat after a few moments, setting the cup down - now empty, of course - to look at me. "Sister… I'm glad that you're you."

"...Huh? Is that even a compliment?" She grins, shrugging innocently as she sticks her tongue out while standing up, excusing herself now to go work on a few more projects that we had in development to finish up today. Left alone, I sigh softly and scan over our little personal park area aimlessly… and notice a purple clump of fluff sitting under one of the trees. It connects to a white hoodie, too, and I raise an eyebrow. When the hell did she get over here? Standing up now, myself, I decide to go over and investigate.

She's passed out, sleeping soundly but quietly with her lower body in the sun, but her upper body in the shade. This area's mostly out of view of the Basilicom, and since only we can get here, perhaps it's a new hiding place from Histoire and Nepgear for her lazy antics. Grumbling about her habits being the polar opposite of mine, I place my hands on my hips as I loom over her, staring disinterestedly at her... Kind of. Her face is so soft and gentle when she's asleep, it's kind of attractive in that younger girl way. In fact, she really does fit the perfect image of a younger teenage girl, and now that I've been able to stop and think of it, she's never really had to go beyond that aside from the subtle kindnesses she puts forth and that dopey smile she puts on for everyone. Maybe… I should really try to be her support more, for her sake.

Pondering my schedule for a moment, I resign myself to sitting down beside her, figuring I have a bit of time to waste still. Raising my arms over my head to stretch, I yawn gently, closing my eyes as a soft breeze caresses us, humming. Resting beside her, I open my eyes and gaze out into the horizon as Neptune's hand shifts sleepily to wrap around my arm as she tugs herself closer, and I look down at her with a slightly red-cheeked smile. The time we all spend together is really wonderful, isn't it? Using my spare hand, I brush away some of her hair and rub her cheek, continuing to hum as I let myself indulge in the serenity of the world we work and fight tooth and nail for everyday to protect, and maybe…

Perhaps, at the center of this peace and comfort… is this dolt.

"...N… Noire…?" she mumbles softly, opening her eyes sleepily as her attention shifts lazily onto me. She grins, nuzzling closer. "Hello… waifu…," and then, she passes back out.

"...Hey, Neptune," I respond silently, laying back to rest with her. Maybe a nap won't hurt, for a little bit.

* * *

...After a few minutes, Neptune shifts out of nowhere, and my eyes open in a flurry as I watch her straddle me, pinning my arms above me. I gasp, my face heating up in surprise as she smirks wickedly, humming now, herself. "Hey, hey, Noire. You look pretty good on the bottom, too, you know."

"...E-e-eh? What the hell's... that mean... Neptune...?"

"I'm just a _bit_ more comfortable with my first time being in a secluded, grassy park area, and you're... already here, so."

"... _Y-you were serious about that?!_ "

She chuckles, nodding as she leans close, nuzzling her face into my body. I shift and whimper gently as she lifts her head, her face utterly pleased. "I'm not going to let you make as much noise as I did, either," she says, pressing her lips to mine suddenly, her hands releasing my wrists as she...

...A grassy field works, I guess...

* * *

 **Honestly, reading about the conquest ending, I will _never_ play the game that way. That's not a comfortable ending for me, albeit a really heartfelt one. It actually corroded my acceptance and tolerance of Nepgear a little, so I'm just going to go ahead and say that this might be far off the canon mark with only bare thread relations to it via the summarized articles on Neptunia wikis. I also believe a stubborn interaction between Neptune and Noire at the beginning of said 'CPU hunt' by Nepgear really ought to have occurred - the fact that, from what I see, Neptune just kind of screws off the face of the eart-Gamindustri as Nepgear ends up hunting everyone down inadvertently. Which is pretty messed up. It could've probably been fixed if Neptune's ego and confidence were restored - hence what this ended up being, with maybe some Nepoire shipping in the midst of it. Hey, if you want the unintentionally similar version but with less obvious romance development, I have something that touches on MK2/Rebirth V2 already.**

Anyway, I just enjoyed writing this. I also will include a minor bonus segment at the end for the fun of it that I decided to not legitimately apply to the story to touch on an earlier part of it. I think it's a pleasant possible ending for this shot, too. Anyway, I just did this to get my groove back on, since I took a brief reprieve the last few days from writing with the newest Unlikely Partnership update and all. The last few days has been a bit of an emotional time, so my writing might take a little bit to resume its normal flow - sorry about that if it's an inconvenience. :( Also, writing in normal Nep/Noire style is _very_ difficult after writing in the PH/BH style.

Regardless, I do intend to post more to this series as well - it's just that I'm currently focusing on UP, and will probably only update this until it finishes with mini-shots and musings that I stumble onto. Might also rev up a Noire-Uni and general one-shots story posting soon, since I've been happening across more fanart and more ideas from the games. Like, friggin' Nouni or whatever you could call the ship is _also_ pretty viable, and while it may be the only other Noire ship I'll really consider besides Nepoire, it's not going to have 30+ shots of it, I'm pretty sure. Nah, that's entitled to Nepoire and solely Nepoire - this ship is my obsession.

Anyway - I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween and are having a pretty good week, too. Wishing each of you the best while I bumble along with my stories and ideas, and hope you all stick around for the long haul. I'm just getting started again! Especially since... I have had a few ideas regarding the Dimensional Dilemma, too, and maybe a couple other stories. I have quite a few things planned, so let's hope my inspiration and drive hold out. But, enough of a word-wall down here.

Tainted out~


	21. One-Shot 21! Yandere Heart, v1!

**Hey! Tainted here. This started and resulted as I wanted to write something, but I didn't know what to do today. I had stuff planned, but waking up, my mojo just wasn't flowing the same way. I _will_ see about adding a new chapter to UP later, too, but this was more of a preemptive return to my fanfiction writing again. Just something quick. :)**

 **The first in a long list of Yandere one-shots to be added. K-sha adds fuel to both the Neptune and Noire dominant fires, really. The -Shas are kinda' cute, but I do admit, the whole Megadimension Steamax and -Sha relationships with the Goddesses/Candidates was a bit eh. Cute, but not pleasant, per-say. Steamax and Uni seems so easily done, as did Uni and Brave, that I'm a little annoyed - keep your likable male characters out of my game, even if they _are_ giant robots. Or at least, away from the main girl cast. :(**

 **Anyway, my ranting about plot choices aside. Let's just see if I still have it!**

* * *

You know, ever since we stumbled across K-sha, things have been progressively different. Like, _weirdly_ different. I keep sensing the feeling that people are watching me - not just one, but _multiple_ people, and it really sort of freaks me out. I sigh, running a hand through my hair absentmindedly as I drum my pen softly on the the table, my eyes running over the newest documents for the Lastation 5 console, and I bite my lip. It's relatively late at night, and I _still_ have the strange foreboding sense that I'm being watched right now, and frankly… it worries me. I originally wanted to write it off as Neptune or Uni, but maybe that's wishful thinking…

As I think this, the door to my office opens as Uni appears, smiling tiredly at me whilst bowing her head in greeting, carrying a tray laden with tea and some small pastry snacks. She started making those with Steamax recently, which… is kind of strange in of itself, and I could tell that Nepgear was genuinely bothered by his existence, but _I'm_ not going to tread into Uni's business. She is responsible enough to make her own choices. I believe.

"Thank you, Uni. I appreciate this," I say as she sets the tray down on the edge of the desk, nodding as she fetches a chair to settle down beside me after pouring some tea for both of us. "Is Steamax over, again, then?"

Her eyes shift to me suddenly, a little cloudy, and I blink in surprise. _That_ expression comes whenever I ask, and it's a bit… unsettling. "No, I've learned quite well, dear sister. I'm confident enough to bake for you that I don't need his help nowadays."

"...Ah, okay. Well," I pause, trying to carefully choose my words while remaining calm, noticing her scooting closer, "have you visited Planeptune recently? Nepgear has been really worried, I'm pretty sure."

She frowns, her eyes clearing up an ounce, and she drums a hand on her thigh. "Uh… no, I haven't, but I've been busy. Really busy."

"...What with, if you don't mind me prying?" I ask, setting the pen down after crossing out some procedures for assembly and instead writing other viable methods for the inner hardware. Shifting in my seat to face her, she immediately hands me a cup of tea on a small plate, and I smile at her softly, nodding. "Thank you, again."

"Of course, dear sister," she says contentedly, smiling. We sip our tea in silence as time stretches on, and it occurs to me that she completely disregarded my inquiry. The feeling of eyes watching me is still there, too. I'm getting a little scared, now, actually. "...Sister, I have a question."

"...Eh? Ah! Uh, yes? What's up, Uni?" I respond, jumping slightly. I didn't expect her to break the silence, actually. She straightens her posture somewhat, narrowing her eyes while taking a breath, sighing. She's hesitating. "Is… something wrong? Just talk to me, alright?"

"I'm… trying. I'm a little unnerved in asking in front of _whoever's been watching us_ , though." My eyes must widen in concern as she quickly sets her tea down, resting a hand reassuringly on my leg. "I've been… trying to keep them at bay, but I think I want to know a question that's been rolling around in my head for awhile, dear sister."

"...Yeah, Uni? What's up? And who are they, then?" I ask slowly, a chill running up my spine. This is dangerous - this entire scenario, this entire night; the omen of something _dark_ is looming in my mind. If I transform, I might be able to put fear in all parties and still protect Uni, but…

"...Sister, I wanted to know what you think of me."

"...Hm? Uni, you're my… my dearest little sister, and I l-love you. You're… like one of my closest friends," I respond, shifting my attention to her. That question felt _pointed_ , and I'm starting to approximate a guess as to why, but if _that's_ the answer… Simply put, I'm fucked, aren't I? "...Or are you asking in a different manner, Uni?"

"...No, I'm… I think I understand," her voice is a little shaky, and her eyes suddenly grew dark. Consciously, I will my body to begin engaging HDD as she raises her head in surprise, looking at me. "What are you…?"

Allowing the transformation to engulf me, I feel my body, personality and strength shift - power and determination fill me, a sense of invincibility and an indomitable will overtake me as I stand up, the light surrounding me fading as I glance down at Uni. I'm more confident and outspoken in this form, and I _will_ utilize that to my best abilities. "Uni."

"Y-yes? Sister…?"

"I'm not really sure how you view me, but you are one of the two most precious people in the world to me. However, I recommend you talk to Nepgear tomorrow - it might be in your best interest. I'll be back - I have some _guests_ I need to find," I say with disdain, shifting my eyes to the window behind me. Lifting it, I hop over the ledge and leave Uni by herself, knowing that there seems to be a _very_ wrong signal between us that I need to correct at a later time. I'm not sure if I could ever see my sister as anything but my sister, and I'm not entirely sure I'd _want_ to. Though, the Lastation and the Ita are made for compatibility-No, that's kind of gross, Noire. Stop that.

Rousing myself from my thoughts, I scan over the horizon as I materialize my sword. This _stalking_ ends tonight. For all of them. I can estimate a guess that one of the two parties out here is likely K-sha, but the other… Could it be Neptune? She also became somewhat strange after K-sha's appearance, but I was so busy with how K-sha and Uni interacted that I had little time to pay her heed. Running my hand through my flowing snow-colored hair, I sigh and narrow my eyes, raising my voice.

"If you two do not come out from the shadows or stop this agitating habit, I _will_ hunt you down and exterminate you. I have tired of this game, and you have irritated me for the last time. You _also_ inconvenienced my little sister, and for _that_ , I will not be kind. Come out, cowards," I proclaim with ease, still scanning the scene. There _is_ the forest up ahead, or the roof above and behind me. I can only go for one or the other, and the other party would probably escape. Forest, roof, forest, roof… A squeak on the roof comes before the patter of feet rushing to depart in a hurry, leaving me with the sense now instead that the other intruder is in the forest. They haven't moved nor did they seem alarmed, meaning that they aren't afraid of a Goddess. Unless I pissed off Blanc, Vert, or Uzume, I'm _pretty_ sure I know who's over there, and actually… _that_ scares me more than anything else.

Out of all of the people I have faced… _She_ is my worst enemy. Is she currently in her HDD form? Or is she human at the moment? This simple fact makes all of the difference in how I approach. Taking a breath, I steady my beating heart, shoving away unnecessary thoughts - if she means harm, I will disarm and apprehend her, and then give her a _firm_ scolding. If it's… something else, and I will away the blush on my cheeks, then I will… deal with that if it is. Yeah. I can't keep ignoring everything going on around me, anymore.

"You have not come out, so I shall come to you. En garde, Neptune!" I shout, engaging my flight systems as I soar toward her, zooming across the small plain of grass toward the treeline as I raise my blade in preparation. To block or to strike…? I'll take an offensive stance.

Noting a sudden shimmer behind one of the trees, I narrow my eyes and gulp silently. It's been engaged, then? I'm not even sure I can beat Purple Heart in a fair one on one. Shaking my head, I hesitate for only an instant before lashing out at the tree, slicing through it as she leaps back, the moonlight falling upon her immediately. Black-and-purple bodysuit, floating slightly, buxom figure that probably - by my own opinion - ranks as second to only mine, with long, flowing violet hair, and blue eyes… thick with cloudy, lustful hunger. Oh, holy crap - _there's_ a facial expression I only dream-thought may have existed in my deepest nightmares. Yeah.

"That is no way to greet your best friend, Noire,~" she says softly, smiling as she draws her blade. "I could've been hurt, you know?~"

"...Then you ought to have come out, Neptune. I'm done with being watched every night to the point of being utterly paranoid. It's unsettling," I say, crossing my arms while still holding firm to my blade. Every sense in my body is on fire with caution and fear, right now. "And… K-sha is the other one consistently keeping tabs on me, I'm going to assume?"

Her eyes narrow, and she frowns in dismay. "Unfortunately, that is not incorrect, however, you have also had Nep Jr.'s attention for unwittingly stealing Uni's focus."

"An issue that I have no control over, and intend to address at a later time."

"Oh, do not worry - while we are out here, Nep Jr. has already entered your Basilicom to find and console her after your conversation."

"...And how would you know about said conversation? You also have a _really_ smug expression, and it's kind of creepy. Stop it," I remark, taking a step closer to her as she makes her way into the moonlight, but not very far away from the treeline. Does she intend to flee?

"Uni _may_ have tapped your room, and… decided to give me a spare earpiece while excluding K-sha."

"...Neptune, did you _force_ my little sister to help you?" I inquire with anger, ignoring the _really_ disturbing fact that was just bared clean. "I'm getting _very_ displeased now."

"Noire, Noire.~ There's no need to be so unhappy - I didn't lay a hand on your sister. She wanted to settle who is the most precious person to you with me personally. It was an agreement between girls, you know?"

"...And why not K-sha?"

"P _lease_ don't say such absurd things. If, by a slim chance that she somehow caught your eye… she'd just simply disappear.~" She beams eerily, her face genuinely free of guilt and concern. Okay, raise the 'holy crap' level to 'holy _shit_ ', I'm talking to a wholesome Yandere Purple Heart-infused Neptune right now. Time to begin considering escape routes. "What's wrong, Noire?~ Your face is so pale. Do you need me to take care of you?" The normal me would probably be weak in the legs and squeak into submission by this point, but I can feel it - even the essence of my HDD is telling me to _run_. "You wouldn't… intend to leave me like this, would you?"

The pain crossing her expression stops my planning cold. I pause, breathing slowly, feeling a hard pang in my heart. There's so much going on, I'm starting to feel a little lightheaded. Neptune cares? So does Uni? Nepgear is currently likely assaulting Uni in the same way, right now? Yanderes? It's a little surreal. Actually, a _lot_ surreal. I should've just finished the stupid Lastation 5 and went to bed. "...Neptune, I'm not sure _what_ I intend to do, right now, but I…"

"Noire, we're… we're best friends, aren't we?" she cuts in, and I freeze up. "Aren't we close? I matter to you, don't I…?"

"...N-Neptune, look, it's… uh… not that I don't care, but…" Damn it, I've been swept up in her pace. I need to talk my way out of this and then…

"Then why aren't you planning to stay? Why are you looking for a way to run away? You matter to me, but are you saying I don't matter to you?" She takes a step forward, toward me, and I take a step back instinctively. This is bad, my thoughts and heart are beginning to blur…

"Neptune, N-Neptune, I'm… I need some time to soak all of this in… Just, step back so I can…"

"Noire… of course… I do love you." _Snap._ My eyes widen, and I feel my legs give out as I stare at her, dumbfounded and simply defeated. My heart… it won't stop. It hurts. "Noire… Noire, Noire, Noire,~" she sings my name softly, and I gaze up at her as she approaches where I sit, pressing down on me as she pins me, smirking. "I'll take care of you, don't worry.~ I'll give you all of the time in the world.~ Anything you will ever want.~ _Just. Don't. Leave. Me. Okay?~_ " she whispers into my ear, and I whimper. "There's a good girl.~ Don't worry, I'll always protect you.~"

Everything fades besides her face, and I watch as I am effortlessly lifted up into her arms as she carries me off. My mind's melting, and all I see is her face, her words ringing endlessly in my ears. One last coherent thought comes to me as I accept my fate, my body and heart refusing to work with my haphazard mind.

Well, I guess I'm _literally_ fucked, now.

* * *

 **I think I have pretty good handles on Noire's various personality styles now. Next one will probably be from a (mostly) serious Neptune PoV. These mostly serve as musings and returns to my Neptunia styles for other stories now, so they'll still update frequently as I play with new methods. I think Noire being more subservient and soft in her human form, and then more stubborn and straightlaced in her HDD fits. Or maybe, UP is just infecting me. Who cares?**

 **L-l-l-lewd!**

Anyway, I don't have too much to add right now, actually. This was a brief musing to slap on there and let you all know I'm not dead - I've just been busy finishing some exams and doing some real life stuff. I'm back for a bit, again, everybody. (heart)

And with that, Tainted out.~


	22. One-Shot 22! The Neplushie

**Another rather brief shot, simply because I remembered a short comic about Nepoire that I stumbled across and saved to review at my leisure, and I figured I wanted to add a bit more to it for the sake of it. The original comic writer is... Ge-B, I'm pretty sure, and it was adorable. Everything Neptunia fanart is adorable, but Nepoire art is literally my drug addiction. /cue spongebob's I NEED IT.**

 **I just did this for musing, so I apologize if people don't care for it/the style of it. I'm not really fond of third person omniscient nor third person in general, but I didn't really feel like writing a whole story from Nepgear's thoughts. _That_ 's a little out of my realm of abilities currently. Still, I ended up doing a lot of random praising of Nepgear and whatnot. This felt weird. I loved it.**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this brief blip as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

* * *

Sunlight streams in through the windows of the Planeptune Basilicom, their gentle rays blinding the face of a frowning and unhappy Neptune. She furrows her brow and pouts softly as she shuts her eyes closed even tighter than before, her hands that rest lazily above her head twitching in annoyance. She grumbles, rolling over onto her side while grabbing a pillow, setting it on her face. She sighs, thoroughly tired from a night chock-full of gaming and sweet-inhaling. A short distance away, her younger sister, Nepgear, stands with her hands clasped together at her waist, smiling at her elder sister's cute sleeping face.

Strangely, Nepgear had been up with her sister all night, and yet, despite only managing on two hours of sleep, she seems contented - a wondrous mystery raised all throughout Gamindustri on a frequent basis. How does she do it? Regardless, she thinks of how precious her elder sister is to her, musing over whether to bring further blankets and close the curtains for her, but decides that perhaps some sunlight might do her sister's pale skin some good. She pauses, wondering - can Goddesses tan? A mystery in itself. Shaking her head suddenly, she rids herself of these curious peculiarities as she clenches a fist to her chest, nodding. Today… today! Today is the day that Planeptune releases its limited edition stock of Neptune plushies and toys to its citizens, with a plentiful amount of hype and desire centered on this event - but really, it probably may be more-so due to the game that comes with it, a new release from one of the major companies. A promotional event of sorts, but to Nepgear, it is simply because of the love the nation holds for their patron CPU.

And on this day, she has decided she would buy the plushy simply for herself, while perhaps offering the game to her sister or utilizing it as a means to spend time with her fellow Candidates. It is the perfect plan in her mind, and she has woken especially early to ensure she would be one of the first to visit the store. Not that waking up at six in the morning is bizarre for her, really - her studious and dedicated nature has her often up at these times for creating meals and snacks, tinkering, or filing paperwork under Neptune's name secretly. Truly, not even Histoire knows of this fact.

Having finished her small plethora of tasks for the morning, she quietly slips from the room without disturbing her sister, nor the small oracle who rests on a shelf tiredly. Nodding as the door closes without a single sound, she smiles at how smoothly things seem to be unfolding for her - perhaps today is a destined victory for her. Either way, her mood is contented, and she ponders as she walks along the halls of the Basilicom whether she ought to buy multiple copies to further support the cause. But then, she would deprive fellow citizens the joy of having a memento in the shape of her elder sister, wouldn't she? Goodness, what a problem.

Noting the dedicated Basilicom staff standing watch all throughout the Basilicom, Nepgear makes a point of greeting each and every one with the whole slew of pleasantries - greeting, mild chatter, inquiries, praise, and the like. To the members of the Basilicom, Nepgear's interactions are the _real_ reasons they stand guard so early; to pass the time chatting with the beacon of hope and morality of Planeptune is among the unimportant, faceless men's favorite activities. Truly, _she_ is enough to tolerate the chaos and hectic scramble of the everyday routine for a Basilicom worker, and her love for her sister is so endearingly sweet that many just want to praise and gift her whatever she desires.

Having finished her long list of greetings and farewells, Nepgear nods to herself, filling her soul with determination as she decides to continue her quest to the store. She mustn't tarry too long! She has an objective to purchase today! Departing from the Basilicom, she walks along the streets of Planeptune with a bright smile as she interacts with the many passersby who recognize her instantaneously. Nepgear always is grateful for this, truly - to have the populace adore her sister and herself to the extent that they do, to see Neptune for the brilliant and wonderful soul that she is - Nepgear is quite content. And for that, she picks up her pace, determined to make it to the store in time for its opening for the day.

Upon arrival, she notices that the store has already opened, and she blinks in surprise. There is a crowd, yes, but things are nowhere near as chaotic as she had anticipated. Perhaps… Goodness, did she forget that the store had promised to open an hour earlier today? Her eyes widen in surprise, and she gasps aloud as she quickly hurries into the store, squeezing past the many various demographics of gamers, pardoning herself politely past every single one. She weaves through, her eyes darting between every shelf in search, hoping…

She stumbles, likely being tripped accidentally as she instinctively grabs a small metal bin to stabilize herself on, exhaling in a relieved sigh. Falling on her face would have been both painful and quite embarrassing for her - so to recover so cleanly was a weight off her shoulders. Raising her head, she notices with a surprise that in the bin is… only one plushy left, actually. Goodness, what luck and what a find! Standing upright, she dusts herself off fastidiously, reaching for it…

...As another hand grabs it as well. Nepgear shifts her attention curiously to the owner of the other hand, noticing it to be a person dressed _awfully_ suspiciously, sporting a 'Lastation rules!' hoodie, a '(N)' cap, and what seems to be a white facemask. Nepgear blinks, frowning softly - this person is _exceptionally_ strangely dressed, but she does not like to judge others. The person in question jumps and freezes, shifting their attention to Nepgear as well, their cheeks turning scarlet under the facemask.

This person, is in fact, Noire, patron CPU of Lastation. She had also heard of the event going on today, and had come to 'buy the game, though the plushy can just get shoved in a closet somewhere, or something.' Truthfully, we all know why she had actually come, but she insists her intention was for the game and nothing else. However, her disguise is concealing enough to hide her face nearly perfectly, and her hair was expertly hidden in her cap, cascading down the back in a massive ponytail rather than her signature twintails. A travesty in itself, but this is irrelevant. She sweats nervously, thoroughly afraid - of all the people she could bump into while attempting to purchase the plush-no, game, why would it have to be Nepgear? Her reputation could be at stake, and Nepgear could _definitely_ recognize her to be Noire. How could she talk her way out of this?

Nepgear stares at the suspicious person blankly, pondering. They _may_ be a little sketchy, yes, but they don't seem to have bad intentions. They just genuinely adore Neptune to the same extent that she, herself, does. Smiling, Nepgear releases the plushy and steps back, bowing. She opens her mouth to address the dumbfounded person, beaming.

"You can have it, I don't really need it, anyway," she says with a smile, watching the other person pause for a moment before cradling it against their chest in a blissful happiness. Nepgear notes in her mind that the person seems genuinely kind regardless of their strange fashion sense, and decides perhaps to speak to Uni or Neptune about it later. She blinks, frowning, however - she needs a copy of the game still, though… "Do you know where to find the game, though, Miss?" she asks. The person flinches but quickly recovers, pointing off to a different part of the store before hurrying to the counter to purchase her find, leaving Nepgear by herself.

Nodding, she raises her hands and tightens them into determined fists, beaming. She _will_ still get the game, so she can play it with the real Neptune herself, anyway. The plushy doesn't matter as much, she supposes. Trotting away to find the game by itself, she turns her back on the figure, who if she really focused, would notice is now snuggling the plushy blissfully.

 **A time later.**

Having returned back to the Basilicom with her new game in tow, she whistles softly as she enters the room to discover Neptune sitting unhappily on the bed whilst Histoire lectures her. Neptune, of course, having noticed her sister's return, jumps up and rushes over to greet her as Histoire grumbles quietly. The two sisters exchange comments over the game for a few minutes before Neptune inquires at the lack of a Neptune plushy, and the story is exchanged as they sit down on the bed.

Neptune smirks, of course, saying she knows _exactly_ who the person was, and Nepgear tilts her head in wonder at her sister's reddened cheeks coupled with an absolutely brilliant smile that she could swear she has never seen before. Her elder sister lays back on her hands, yawning as she shrugs, opting to head back to sleep for another hour or two - much to Histoire's dismay.

Nepgear is still genuinely confused.

* * *

 **I enjoyed writing this. I really did. It was fun, it was quick, and it was light-hearted. I always tend to aim for 2000+ word shots, but sometimes, I just don't have it in me. Still, I hope you all enjoyed this. I know I _did_ just say the next fic would be in Neptune's POV, but that's more-so for a Yandere story update. I wanted to do this on a whim. Might try to add a story behind other fanart I stumbled across, too. It's _really friggin' fun, man._**

 **I'm in a good mood. I hope you all have a wonderful day - you're all genuinely wonderful people.**

Tainted out.~


	23. One-Shot 23! Hypnotism, Noire

**A good day to the lot of you! I hope you are having a fantastic week or two; it's been a little while! As an apology, take this short story inspired by a comic/manga I stumbled across!**

 **I'll talk more about my return to activity at the bottom! Fear not, I'll continue posting updates now, now that I'm determined to keep up with my current projects!**

 **Onwaaaard!**

* * *

The day started ordinarily enough… well, as far as normal days do for me, really. I managed to catch a couple hours of sleep and get up to head out, hunting for a small pile of requests left on my desk. Things went well - I diced apart quite a few foes, Uni managed to wipe out a large sum of enemies, as well, and we sped through things with even a little communication. It was rather pleasant, if I do say so myself. We congratulated and praised one another and shared a sisterly moment before we went ahead to start going back, and perhaps… _that's_ where things began to shift.

I got a call on my personal phone… from Neptune, which isn't necessarily bizarre, since the things were invented and the eight of us learned how to use them - an easier way to pester me before she came over to _really_ interfere in my work, honestly. But, that's beside the point. Answering, she began chirping in my ear.

"Noire, Noire! You need to come over immediately!" she says happily, and I cock my eyebrow, shooting Uni a curious look. She shrugs, frowning.

"...W _hy_ exactly, Neptune? Uni and I are busy at the moment," I remark slowly, brushing away some of my hair. In reality, maybe heading over would be nice… for Uni, but I have other things I need to get done today, so, I have to stay focused.

"We're playing with _hypnotism!_ It's so cool, you have to come over and be hypnotized… I mean, to see what you can tell Blanc or Vert to do! It's really amusing!"

I blink, and Uni blinks, and we stare at the phone, dumbfounded. "...Hypnotism? _Really?_ It doesn't work, Neptune. Not at all."

"...Yeah, I don't really believe it either. It's kind of a party gag to amuse people. It isn't really…," Uni trails off, sighing as someone squeals through the phone before a sudden clamor, and I narrow my eyes.

"Sorry, sorry, girls. Blanc was just told she was a cat, and she started hissing and pouncing on Vert for annoying her. She's currently sleeping on top of a cabinet and we can't wake her up. But yeah! Come over immediately! Break out of your tsun habits, and stop hiding the fact you want to visit me, Noire!"

We sigh as she hangs up, rubbing our temples with our fingers. I stretch, frowning, giving Uni a worried expression. "Do you want to stop here for now? We might have to do some babysitting."

Uni's expression twists in a strange mixture of emotions, which isn't really abnormal, but I don't really understand what she is thinking. "Y-yeah, I guess we can do some… babysitting. We, uh, cut off enough monster overgrowths that we should have the rest of the day off, technically."

"I suppose you're right, really. Though, I hope Lastation doesn't get irritated that we're doing this," I grumble quietly, somewhat worried. Shaking my head, I nod to myself. "Let's not keep them waiting - it sounds like they're messing around quite a bit more than usual. Do you want to go change?"

"No, I should be alright, but thank you, sister."

We nod to one another, heading off toward Planeptune posthaste. The trek there is rather quiet, actually, and the paths are clean of monsters - unsurprisingly, from the efforts of IF, who we bump into and briefly greet. She turns to smile at us after carving apart a lizardman, slipping her blades back into her sleeves.

"Hey, girls. Visiting us, or is something serious going on?" she asks, crossing her arms while cracking her neck with a contented expression. She really is hardworking, huh?

I pause, contemplating, before smiling reassuringly at her. "Apparently, everyone is playing with hypnotism at the Basilicom, and we were invited. I intend to make sure they don't get out of hand, though… you didn't get a call?"

IF raises an eyebrow, smirking. "No, I did, but I simply ignored that phone. Neptune usually tries to pull me into her pace, too, but I've learned to simply just not respond lately. Works wonders - you should try it if you need a break from her antics."

Uni chuckles quietly, and I cross my arms, grinning. "I'll take that under advisement. Thank you, IF. We'll still head over to take care of the mess they're bound to create, though."

"Alright, you two. Be safe and good luck - I wish you all of the patience in the world, Noire."

"Same to you. Keep up the good work," I respond, watching as she bows before drawing her weapons, hurrying off to continue pursuing whatever Guild requests she's currently on. "She's really impressive, honestly."

"Yeah, IF's really cool," Uni agrees, and we smile at one another before continuing on our way.

Reaching Planeptune, we bid the guards our polite greetings before proceeding into the usual rooms that Neptune seems to occupy as her rooms of operation. Knocking on the door before entering, we turn the knob and enter, closing it without upset. Peering about, things seem relatively normal… until I notice Blanc really _is_ on top of a cabinet, snoring while curled up into a ball, and Rom and Ram are dressed up in two strikingly different outfits - a gothic witch, and a frilly maid as they spout off various lines of which I didn't even knew they knew, yet. A lot of innuendos, too, which makes both Uni and I cock our eyebrows.

Now _this_ is where I am, as things already are getting weird.

Nepgear appears out of nowhere, smiling tiredly as she bows. "H-hello, Miss Noire and Uni, thank you for coming. Things have been a little hectic here, you see…"

A clatter of sounds from the room behind her, and her expression twitches in an effort to maintain itself. Uni and I look at one another and frown. "Hello, Nepgear. We're coming in - I guess I have to give that idiot a decent scolding again."

"Nep Jr.! They're here?!" Neptune chirps, popping out of the other room as she smirks wickedly, jumping in front of Nepgear while utilizing some strange watch. "Fall into slumber!" Nepgear suddenly opens her mouth to squeal, but her eyes half-lid and then close as she slumps forward, Neptune snickering the entire time. "Nep Jr.! You will now… imagine yourself a stunningly beautiful playboy of a man and you will follow your heart… to do lewd things!"

Uni and I pause, staring blankly at Neptune as the 'hypnotism' ends, and Nepgear slowly lifts her head. Opening her eyes, she licks her lips, frowning. Crossing her arms, she peers about the room with a raised eyebrow, grinning. "So many pretty little treats… where do I begin…? Ah… you, with the black ribbons and dress! You, little flower, I want you!"

"... _Ehhh?!_ Nepgear, what are you…?!" I sidestep the scene as Uni gets tackled, and I narrow my eyes on Neptune.

"Neptune, you're _dead_." I state matter-of-factly, walking toward her with lowered, angry eyes. Uni can probably take care of Nepgear in that strange state, and I need to nip this in the bud. In fact, I sigh, shaking my head. "I don't know _what_ you've been doing here, or how that watch is even working, but I'm confiscating it. You're beginning to say some dangerous things."

She gasps, her eyes widening as she stares at me, and I cock my head in wonder for a moment. She quickly averts her eyes as they dart throughout the room. _Anywhere_ that I'm not at. Wow, that's rude. She quickly pivots on her heel, shouting. " _Verrrrrt!_ It worked and this is going to go horribly! I will slay you before I fall!"

"Ah, so it has to be sight-based, then…?" she suddenly says, and as I turn the corner to follow Neptune, I find Vert standing before the both of us with her hands clasped together. She pauses, thinking about the latter half of Neptune's words as she suddenly raises her eyebrows. "Wait a minute… you intend to betray our alliance _now?_ Neptune, think before you act!"

"Fall into slumber!" she yells, and Vert reels in an attempt to avoid it… but also suddenly slumps forward, her eyes closed. That watch… is emanating some sort of aura, now that I see it. Uh, holy crap, is it cursed? They're playing with a _cursed watch?!_ "You… will go find Iffy… and confess to your Iffy-loving nature, at once! Noire, where is Iffy right now?!"

"Uh… she's in the forests on the outskirts of Planeptune, but surely the watch won't work like tha…," I trail off as Vert jerks upright suddenly, nodding in determination to herself as she dashes past both Neptune and I, throwing the door open with a slam as she darts down the hall. The room's residents all pause temporarily, and I notice that Uni and Nepgear disappeared somewhere, which is a little disturbing, but… Blanc suddenly lifts her head, disturbed from her slumber as she follows Vert's actions and also races out of the room on all fours, leaving just Rom and Ram sitting in a corner, cosplaying still, and Neptune, standing shakily before me. I cross my arms, thoroughly surprised. "Wow, that thing has a lot more power than I thought it did. Now, Neptune, hand it over so I can destroy it."

"...Noiiiire~." A cold bolt suddenly shoots down my spine, and my eyes widen. I blink slowly, frowning, and I glance about the room. It _couldn't_ have been her. Someone else is in the room… "...Hey, Noiiiire~, don't ignore me…" _Shiver._ It… has to be. Shifting my attention to Neptune, she shakes as she lifts her head, smiling… darkly. "Noire… let's play~!"

"...Neptune, what the hell were you told to do?" I ask slowly, taking a step back. This situation spells _really_ poorly for me. I need to get that watch and destroy it. But, what is her current… 'hypnotism?' I don't even think it can be considered hypnotism. More like mind-control.

" _Told?_ I wasn't _told_ to do anything, my cute little Noire. I simply… want to _play_ with you, don't you know?" she answers with a dark chuckle, and I raise a hand, rubbing my eyes. What the hell did I bring Uni into?

"And if I decline, then, Neptune?"

"...I'll be quite upset, you know…" Her posture suddenly grows more tense, and I stare at her incredulously. She's plotting something. A premature attack? Hell, can I even call this an attack? It's more like premeditated… "Noire, come over here and be my plaything."

Neptune's generally faster than me, though not necessarily stronger. Trying to engage her in any sort of speed-based competition bodes poorly for me, but I'm not really sure I want my first time going with a sadistic, BDSM-oriented Neptune. It just feels wrong… wait, then how _do_ I want my first time? I'm okay with a normal Neptune, but not _this_ kind of Neptune?

Damn it, sort these thoughts out later, Noire. Focus. "Neptune."

"Yes~?"

"I'll… think about it, on one condition." She cocks her head, and I gulp nervously. This is going to backfire on me no matter what, but perhaps I can at least change my fate. "I want you to give me that watch first. A-as a gift, maybe."

"You want payment for your services?" she asks with a raised eyebrow, and I cough and stamp my foot in annoyance. She chuckles, shrugging innocently. "I simply questioned your methods, but if you're so inclined… fine." She tosses the watch to me, smirking as I catch it. "Now, strip for me…"

I rush forward, waving the watch on its chain before her face. She gasps, her eyes drooping slightly before closing as I sigh. "Fall into sleep… um, be your honest self when you wake up," I say quickly, hoping that there's no timer on this sleeping part. I am _not_ honoring that deal.

Her body jumps suddenly, and I hop back with a start, surprised. She lifts her head, beaming… just as strangely, but I suppose you could call this one… happy? Less sadistic? Less sexual? I think…?

"Noire, Noire! Hey, hey! You came to see me? I'm so happy!" she chirps, tackling me out of nowhere, glomping hard to me as we tumble backward onto the plush carpeted floors. I squeal, and place a hand to her head in an attempt to pry her off, but she just snuggles closer. "Noire, Noire…~"

"...Uuuugh. I don't care anymore, I guess. How the hell does this thing even work?" I say, now intent on fiddling with it now that my virginity is no longer in jeopardy. She's kind of warm and she seems like she's unwilling to hurt me in any way, so I suppose I'm safe. "Neptune, I need you to answer a few questions for me, and then… uh… I… I'll… c-cuddle with you, alright?"

"Mm! Of course, Noire!"

"Okay, so first, about this watch…"

 **A good few hours later, of course.**

"...Nnn… uh… Uh! Um, Noire, hey, Noire…!" I lazily raise my eyes, yawning softly while snuggling tighter to my pillow. Neptune can wait a bit longer. "H-hey! That… that tickles! You're… too close!"

"...Hm? Neptune, you're being so damn loud. Let me sleep a bit more…"

She inhales sharply, and I feel her hand on my shoulder as she tries to shake me, and I furrow my eyebrows and grumble unhappily at her. "I… uh… Noire, you're not hugging your pillow!"

"...Ehh…? What are you talking about…?" I open my eyes wider now, noticing that my pillow is made of a fabric hoodie, a little squishy but sturdy underneath said fabric, with a head attached to it. Lifting my head from it, I blink slowly and yawn. Right, now that I think about it, I was cuddling with a hypnotized Neptune. "So… the hypnotism eventually wears off, then?"

Her voice catches in her throat, and she gulps. "Uh… I… I guess so." She pauses as I hoist myself off her, laying sideways on the bed, comfortably resting my head on my hand. Moving my other hand behind me, I check to see… yup. "Noire… um… we didn't…?"

Suddenly feeling playful and maybe a bit sadistic, now that I consider that what I experienced was the 'honest' Neptune, I smirk at her. "I don't think I'll ever be able to say. You'll have to take responsibility, okay, Nep~tune~?"

"...I…" She coughs, surprisingly wiping the redness from her face. She really has a better poker-face than all of us. Wow. "Holy Nep, dude. That watch is bad news bears."

"Don't worry, I already got rid of it," I say reassuringly, smirking. "Now, since I'm tired, let me sleep on you a bit more."

"...Eh? Aah! No, hey, that… that tickles!"

* * *

 **And we call that, done like dinner! Like the Thanksgiving meals that are about to put the entire US to sleep! Regardless, I hope you all have been well. I've been a little preoccupied and busy, but I'm back to my usual intentions!**

 **And that means, expect a bigger slew of updates on things and expect more posts, again! I want to post another story late tonight, and get back into the routine of possibly a daily morning-timed update every day. Hopefully, they stay in good quality!**

 **Also, if any of you have been wondering what I've been doing - retrieving my father from the airport, finishing up some classes for schooling, doing some outside work before it gets colder, and playing a lot of Aura Kingdom, actually! Totally worth it! Not ashamed whatsoever of my lack of posts when I've been decking out my anime characters with adorable styles and outfits! Nope!**

i'm sorry don't hit me i'll keep posting again i promise it was just a desire to level up and i had a bet with someone that i would be negatively impacted if i didn't powerlevel about 12 levels in the span of three days and it just got addicting you see

Regardless! UP! YOU'RE NEXT! WOO!

Tainted out.~


	24. One-shot 24! It Was Only a Kiss

**Been a while since I uploaded one of these. Know what? I need to do a few more.**

 **This is a bit off from my usual stance, and probably not entirely in-character since I haven't invested myself in the games for over a month - but either I write and try to get my groove back, or I try to immerse myself in the games and prolong any posts again for awhile.**

 **And y'know what? Big Nep is good as she is. I like the portrayal. (More of this at the bottom.)**

 **Attack of the Big Nep posts, ahoy!~**

* * *

Pacing down the halls of Planeptune, I find myself truly, utterly, and wholly _bored._ While I'm aware that this isn't abnormal for me or little me, I have to admit that I've caught myself at the edge of _extreme_ boredom and regular boredom, and I don't like being on the edge… it's not really full of glory. Then again, to be fair, things have been really quiet lately, and everyone seems to be doing their own thing – which is also boring, since now that everyone's off doing whatever they usually do, I'm left to occupy myself. Boo. I need something to do – _anything_ , really. Plopping myself down into one of little me's many chairs and couches spread across the Basilicom, I fiddle with my hair while flipping open my notebook, glazing over the entries with mild disinterest. This will only keep me occupied for… about a minute, I think.

Hopping back off the sofa, I notice the guards eyeing me with confused, wary expressions – maybe trying to get my kicks here isn't such a good idea; they seem used to it.

Good work, little me. I'm proud.

Releasing the lock of hair twisted around my finger, I frown. Maybe I'll go do some quests to kill time… or, wait! I could just go check out what else there is in the other parts of this world; it isn't like I need anything, anyway. I kept myself to Planeptune for… what reason again? Huh, I don't remember… sort of. Well, as long as I don't bother the adorable CPUs and their sisters, I should be good. Yeah. I'm not going to get lectured unnecessarily like little me…

First, time to go pay a trip to Lastation's borders! Away I go!

Rushing past the nervous guards, they exhale sighs of relief as I depart from the Basilicom, and I grin – I'll be back to mess with all of you sometime later, I'm sure. Now then… jogging through the streets, I zip my hoodie up slightly to avoid the awkward stares I sometimes get, beaming at the nice, cool wind pressing against me as I zigzag through the constant crowds. My eyes wander from one establishment to the next as I hum softly, enjoying the sight of the brilliantly-colored, lively city once again.

I do have to admit, little me can be even a bigger slacker than I am, but she has such a wonderful crowd following her – I don't see why everyone gives… well, yes, I do, but agreeing about my lazy habits feels weird. So, strike that! Neptunes can do no wrong!

Speaking of which… I wonder where little me is? I didn't hear her nor any of the crowd while I was pacing around, which is _weird_ , and Histy seems to be missing too. Did they go out, as well? Or are they hiding again? Hmmm…

"Ah! Big sister, excuse me!" I hear a familiarly cute little voice call out to me, and I skid to a halt as I reach a clearing in one of the many crossroads – the crowds finally mostly dying out due to this being a shopping district for supplies and food more than games and leisure activities. From my left, little me's little sister, Neppy Jr. as I prefer to now call her, hurriedly approaches me while bowing politely. She's so cute and respectful, she _has_ to have learned all her good traits from us. We're pretty good role models, y'know?

"Yeah, Neppy Jr.? How can I help ya'?" I ask with a smile, and she returns the expression while quickly glancing around our surroundings. Looking for someone…? Ah. "I haven't seen little me or Uzume, if that's what you're gonna' ask."

She pauses, nodding with slight disappointment. "I… was. They've been missing from the Basilicom since before I woke up, and I remember hearing Histoire shouting, so…"

I laugh sadly, patting and ruffling the hair on her head, listening to her squeak in surprise. "I'm sure they're around here somewhere; they're just probably dodging Histy's wrath while doing something fun again. Check the usual spots, y'know? Little me's probably at an arcade or getting food."

She nods. "I didn't see them the last time I checked, but I'll do so again. Maybe I missed something. Thank you, big sister!" she bows again, turning to hurry off again while fixing her hair fretfully – to which I grin with mischievous satisfaction.

Ah, the work of the big Nep is never done. Now then, time to get on with my little journey as well. Resuming my comfortable jog, I head for the outskirts of the city, for the eastern road. I wonder if I can catch a ride, or something.

Mmm…

Hrmmmmm…

Mmm…mmm…

Mm!

Oh-hoh!

Nope. I can't. Walking all this way is a bit of a pain, but, I suppose it has its merits. I'm not a CPU like, like _all_ the people around me, so staying in shape is important if nothing else. Everything I keep seeing while on my little trip is pretty common and normal, so it's not really all that interesting. Wait…

What if I get off the main road and wander into the wilderness? Maybe I'll find something cool! I'm so close to Lastation's borders now, after all, so I'd just be basically visiting the city rather than exploring like I decided I was going to do, and that's not productive! No, sirree!

Suddenly, I find myself pausing to think for a moment about the Lastation girls. I don't really know very much about them, do I? Besides that, they're like cute little black rabbits with workaholic complexes – and that they seem to attract the _weird_ types of fans, I don't really talk to them much. I know little me likes to tease the older of the two, and Neppy Jr. has a strangely… blissful relationship with the younger one, but maybe I ought to get to know them as well. I ought to do that with all of the nations, actually. More friends, the merrier!

Hopping over the tiny fence they constructed to make the roads safer to traverse, I wander up the small incline to the left of the road, entering the forest ahead of me. At once, I immediately notice the change in atmosphere. The road had this weird feeling of being all civilized, peaceful, and orderly. This forest? Kinda' adventurous, serene, and just… kind of rejuvenating. Like, I admit it – I'm not as big of a gamer as little me, since I like to wander around and explore more than anything, and since I can hold my own with the best of 'em, I feel… kind of excited to just go get lost in the woods. I've done it before back in the other dimensions I traveled to, so here, I can do it again. In fact, I might be able to get used to this!

Speaking of adventure… rustling to my immediate left causes me to stop my musing as I draw the blades dangling comfortably at my hips, and I ready my stance for combat. What's behind… bush number one?!

 _Rustle, rustle… Rustle, rustle… Rustle, rustle… Dash!_

Gasp, a group of wild cardbirds has appeared! What will Neppynep do?

Fight, of course! I quickly rush forward before they can take the initiative, swiping at the foremost of the group… and manage to land a hit on one of them, sending it flying backward into the tree behind it. The other four raise a ruckus at the sudden expert huntress before them, and they hurry to try and surround me. Ah, but the Huntress Queen, Lady Neptune-as, is faster! I pivot on my heel, dicing through them in a whirlwind, watching the weaker of the group poof into particles and pixels. Three remain!

Cardbirds use… Storm of Pecking! Neptune dodges! And dodges again! And dives to dodge thrice! Oh, the attack missed – the humanity of it all! Now, Neptune suddenly counterattacks! The cardbirds can't escape, they're already stuck reeling from their attacks! Slice, slice, and dice! Foes defeated! Now, spin, aaaand… pose! Kya!~ Neptune's victory!

Alright, that was entertaining for the few minutes it took to achieve absolute victory, but now I need to continue onward and find other things to occupy me longer. Sheathing my weapons, I raise my hands over my head and stretch comfortably while yawning. _This_ is more customary for me than just lounging around playing games constantly.

Wandering around again, I whistle peacefully as various creatures pass by me – most seemingly harmless, the others being diced apart like dogoo jelly. Ooh, maybe that's a good idea for a new meal concoction! As long as it doesn't get into your clothes, it'd be probably rather tasty!

Combat off in the distance suddenly grabs my attention – the sound of someone fighting against… ooh, that's the sound of a wyvern howling into the air. Sounds dangerous. Time to become the heroine and save the day! Drawing my blades, I rush off at once in search of the source with a massive smile on my face. I wonder who's out here anyway – I feel like I'm relatively far out.

"Hnnn!" a somewhat soft but stern voice grunts out, the sound of claws slamming against metal following as a result. "Damn, you're so obnoxious! Just fall already!" she follows up, and I feel a strange sense of familiarity. It's almost as if I've heard it a few times before… as if it were… A TSUNRABBIT!

The older sister of the Lastation duo is ahead of me, in a small clearing – created artificially by the gigantic trees being knocked over and torn apart, unsurprisingly – while squaring off against a hefty-looking wyvern. It snarls at her as she dashes toward it, swiftly dodging its claws while placing a kick firmly into the creature's jaw, to then kick off of it to create distance once more. In truth? That didn't really seem to have much of an effect.

"Stupid thing, resilient to swords… I should've probably called for Uni before I did this, but now… I won't lose to the likes of you!" she steels herself, preparing to rush in once again.

She's kind of pretty like that, now that I'm seeing her in combat – she's elegantly talented, though her sword could _definitely_ use some work. It's too large and clunky. She wields it well, though. Huh, I'm impressed. She could use a hand though, I'm pretty sure.

Timing my pace to begin with hers, I circle behind the dragon as she collides with it again, pushing it backward slightly from thrusting into it directly from the front – leaving me ample enough space now to quickly hop up as it leans down in an attempt to catch her. Startling both the creature and my little heroine of this battle – judging by their exclamations and body language, at least – I quickly plunge both of my blades into our foe's eyes. The result? Instant poof and pixels. Victory goes to Nep.

Landing safely onto my feet, I straighten my posture and sheathe my weapons once more, holding my first two fingers up in a 'V' shape. "Good distraction!" I praise with a hearty smile, somewhat amused by the dumbfounded expression on her face.

"Wh… how… N-nevermind. I'm not going to ask. Instead, I suppose I ought to thank you – though I didn't need the help," she says, sheathing her blade at her hip as she brushes her hair from her face. I walk towards her, nodding placatingly while smirking. She's pretty and definitely strikes me as the straightman. Now I know why little me has so much fun.

"I'm sure, I'm sure," I respond, looking her over – much to her own embarrassment and confusion – before checking our surroundings. "You're really far out from your city, huh? What're you doin'?"

She pauses, scratching her cheek as her embarrassment fades. Quick to recover, I see. "Clearing away dangerous monsters so that the city guard and lower-level heroes don't need to worry about it. I'm relatively used to doing this since I do it often, so it's not really surprising for Lastation's patron CPU to be defending her borders – the better question is why _you_ are out here," she answers, crossing her arms. Wow! Unintentional emphasis, check.

"Little old me? I like to kill time and explore, so I figured I'd start by wandering around Lastation before going to Lowee or Leanbox, of course!" I counter, beaming. "And it seems I chose a good day to start this, too. I'm so useful,~" I sing softly, watching her roll her eyes.

"Yes, yes, of _course_ you are, Nep… uh, big Neptune," she says, correcting herself. She rubs her arms awkwardly as we stand before one another, and I find myself enthused with her company. Mission: Find Amusement for the Day – Complete. "Though, I _do_ appreciate the help, I suppose."

"Yup! Anytime, little Noire!~" I respond, extending a hand to ruffle her hair, earning a bewildered expression and a disapproving remark. That's actually really cute. "Though, that _is_ your name, right? Noire?"

She remains silent for a moment, immediately working to fix her hair, nodding. "Yes, I'm Noire, or the Black Heart CPU of Lastation. I don't know why you ask that now, though."

"I'm not really 'connected' like you all are, so I'm figuring proper introductions were inevitable, of course.~"

She scratches her cheek in awkward acknowledgement. "I… you have a point. It's nice to meet you, formally, big Neptune. I hope we can get along."

I frown for a second before a mischievous idea comes to me. "Hmhm, but since I don't like how formal and awkward this talk is… hya!~" I exclaim, tackling her as I wrap my arms around her, hearing her yelp in surprise as we tumble backward into the grass. "Let's get along _really_ well, Noire!~"

"H-h-hey, get the hell off me! What are you even doing?!" she shouts as she tries to pry me off, her face bright red. I chuckle, locking my arms around her tighter while I rub my head under her chin, grinning. This _is_ fun, after all. Excellent to know!

"No way, no way!~ You're fun to hug. Accept your fate and become my friend.~"

"F-f-friend? Well, I… I sup… H-hey! Stop rubbing your face there!"

I lift my head, smirking. "I'm not doing anything, you perv.~ It's not like it's all that weird anyway, we're both girls, aren't we?~"

"T-that's beside the point! Y-you're way too close! What if we get attacked?!"

I hum softly, sliding up against her while shrugging. "Obviously, then we'd get up and beat it down. But there's nothing, and since you're so cute, face my torment!~" I explain matter-of-factly before nuzzling against her again, grinning wider and wider. I could get used to this.

"C-c… Cute?! Ah… t-that's beside the point! Get off me before I get annoyed!" she shouts, writhing underneath me. I wonder if she's one of those… what are they? 'Bottoms'? Does that make me a 'top' in this situation? Hmmm…

"Fine, fine,~" I relent, pressing my hands down on either side of her head as I slowly pull myself to my feet, enjoying her scarlet face. "Don't stare so much, you perv.~"

"I-I-I am _not_ a pervert! You're the one being obscene!" she stammers, tilting her head away as she quickly jumps to her feet, turning to take a few steps away from me, muttering. Damn, can't hear her. Bet I'm causing her to get really, _really_ flustered.

"So," I say, not missing a beat, "what else did you need to beat down before heading back for the day? I can help ya'." She turns her head slightly in my direction, and I dust myself off before placing both hands on my hips, thrusting my chest outward. "The Neppest of all Neps will give you her all! But, maybe it's too soon to give you _all of me_ , after all.~"

She groans, but nods. "I'll… I'll take the help, I suppose. Ah… k-keep your distance, or I'll hit you."

I whistle, entwining my hands behind my back. "I don't know what you mean.~"

"Of _course_ you don't."

"Are ya' gonna' lead the way, or sit and admire me? I'm so embarrassed.~"

And with that, we set off further into the forests, with her as the vanguard and me as the rear. Honestly, the next thirty or so minutes pass by rather quietly and quickly. We finish off two or three more wyverns, some ghostly armor, a gigantic white ghost that cries and shoots fireballs, and other various things that honestly made no sense to me, but were deemed necessary to be walking around this region. What a weird place.

Now, we continue walking through the woods, and I find myself interested in teasing her again. What to do, what to do… hmmm…

"Hey, Noire."

"Mm? Yeah, big Neptune?" she responds, her head not moving at all to glance back at me. Boo, I suppose opening my hoodie more will only be useful for me to cool myself off, and not fluster her, then. Let's see…

"How would you say I get thighs as nice and supple as yours are?" I ask without much thought, startling even myself – I haven't been watching her backside _that_ much, but I suppose this works as she suddenly coughs and stops, grabbing a nearby tree.

"I… I… What? What are you… even asking?" she grumbles back, seemingly less off-guard than I expected. Well, I started this, I might as well carry it all the way.

"Just noticing how you have a pretty nice backside, from at least back here. Lookin' hella' fine,~" I say before whistling, grinning again.

Her hands immediately move down to tug desperately at her mini-skirt. Does she not know how lewd that thing actually is? "S-stop staring. I'm… not sure how I look, so I can't help you."

"Boo. That's boring.~"

She mutters something else, her face tilting only slightly back to glance at me, her skin tomato-colored now. She's so innocent and easily flustered, I could _really_ get used to this. Hm? Ah, her eyes are lingering.

"Like what you see, Noire?~" I tease, and she gulps before suddenly facing forward, groaning outwardly.

"I'm just trying to figure out what's going on in that weird head of yours," she hurriedly says, sighing. "Let's… finish this up so I can head home. I had… paperwork and stuff to do."

Stuff? _Stuff_? I must really be getting into her head now. Maybe I ought to relent a little… maybe… Nah, I'm having fun. In fact… hmhmhm.

"Alright, alright. Let's finish up, then I can come help you.~"

"W-wha?! No, I'm… I'm good. You just… go off and do whatever. Didn't you need to see Lowee and Leanbox?" she tries to divert, and I grin. Yes, little bunny – do your best, the lionnep shall soon pounce.

"Hmmm," I say, raising a finger to my lips in mock contemplation as I close the distance between us, her face mirroring the flustered horror of her mind, I expect. "Mmm… nope!~" I suddenly blurt out, wrapping myself around her arm. "I think I'll bother you for the day, since I'm having plenty of fun. We need to get to know one another better, anyway, right?~"

She stutters, at a loss for words as she tries in futile effort to wave me off, her arm sinking ever-closer against me, her eyes growing wide and almost feverish, as if smoke was pouring from her ears while her brain fries. In fact, maybe it has, as she just sits there, letting me snuggle her arm, which… is super comfortable, but sort of unenjoyable.

I frown, leaning my face closer to hers – which unintentionally by my design, still manages to excite and fluster her further – and achieve her attention once more. "You okay?" I ask genuinely, wondering if I've pushed her a tad too far.

"I… I… I…"

Yep. Tsun defeated. Maybe I should get her to go home. In fact, tugging her along with me, I lead her expertly through the forest and thicket, and eventually find my way to the outskirts of Lastation. Glancing up at my braindead companion, she seems to recognize the scene before her as I release her arm, and after a minute or two, she finally coughs.

"I'm… I'm going back to my Basilicom," she mutters, slouching forward slightly as if exhausted.

"Alright!~" I chirp back, smiling. "I'll come visit later; I'll clean the forest out a bit more before I come catch up with you. Go relax a little and get comfy! I expect a reward later.~"

"…Yeah, whatever…," she agrees blankly, and I chuckle. Might as well finish her off. Racing after her, she braces herself as her eyes center on me with a mixture of dozens of emotions, but it's futile… The Nep goes for the playful kiss!

Chu.~

Super effective. The Noire has become scarlet once more – _and_ passed out.

Giggling, I feel even _my_ cheeks redden slightly as I prop her up against a nearby building, borrowing her phone to give her little sister a call.

"Yes, big sister?"

"Hiya, hiya, little Tsunrabbit,~" I sing softly, hearing a sudden voice hitch in surprise.

"Uh… uh, Neptune? No, your voice is…," she trails off, at a loss.

"I'm Neptune, yup!~ Just, I'm the older, super voluptuous one,~" I respond, and she remains silent. "You're no fun,~" I continue, and hear her mutter something under her breath.

"…What do you need and why are you using my sister's phone?" she asks suspiciously, and I grin.

"Your sister maaaay be napping on the outskirts of the city. She worked really hard and wore herself out, so I have her resting against one of these factories. I'm gonna' go and finish up what she started, so come get her, okay?~"

"W… wha? Sister passed out? What did you—." Blip! Call ended.

I stare at her for a few more moments, smiling with a slightly blissful feeling in my heart. She's pretty, she's entertaining, and she has some talent with fighting. Know what?

Little me, I think I'm going to have to take this adorable girl from you.

* * *

 **I'm relatively aware I _could_ add more to this and drag it out, but I think I like it short and sweet. It makes me laugh, smile, and I have an adequate amount of pride in it, without becoming a massive full-scale story that _could_ end in a really bad way if I decide to flesh BOTH Neptunes out. NTR... shudder. So therefore - I'll post it and completely surprise people by actually posting something again. I'm _not_ dead! Surprise! :D**

 **Personal stuff - I have had a bit of a rough patch the last half a dozen months, or about that much. Ended a teetering, complicated relationship of nearly four years extremely poorly, had some family stuff come up, and had a few personal rough moments going on, so it's been a bit... hard, to stay motivated and do my usual bizz. However, I had fun with this, and I think I'll continue on my merry way since I had five to six ideas pop into my mind while I was out watering some plants today. Fleshed a few out, so I might continue my spree and write something else to post later tonight as well. Hopefully people enjoy that - I think my writing's at least steadily adequate, if not a bit better since I'm not extending as hard as I was before.**

 **Personal opinions here - does adultNep strike you all as the sporty, flirty, playful and mature kind, or should I try to make her more of an airhead and less of a slightly mature individual? I mean, yeah, I'd have to admit - she's got it all going on, and Megadimension made me believe she's _definitely_ more than just an older Neptune, even though lil' Neppy is pretty intelligent and flirty - just not as open about it, and /justification about how aNep is human and how CPUNep is not, so sporty is more expected and yadayadayada. Feel free to critique or tell me y'love it, or if you really feel obligated, call it crap and make me completely drop the attempt... BUT NOT REALLY. I'll still go about my business.**

 **I'm feeling alright, and hopefully I'll make at least a few of you smile. :D**

 **Now then, time to move onto other shots...**

Tainted out!~


	25. Shot 25! How Did It End Up Like This?

**Okay, uh, #1 - I don't know how I went from updating this the first time with a couple minute corrections from 7700'ish words to 8100, so if it somehow duplicated stuff, I apologize. It's 5am, I already re-read this twice before hitting the 'Save' button after correcting it a couple of times, I'm not gonna' do it a third time 'till tomorrow. That's lazy, I know, but, I _think_ people can understand why I'm reluctant. And even after saying this, I have now browsed it again and see nothing out of the ordinary, so I'm going to go for it.**

 **#2 - Another installment to BigNep stuff! I'm probably gonna do regular Nepoire stuff again soon, or maybe a couple other strange ideas first, but, it seems I have my mojo flowing again. Go figure!**

 **Regardless - I'll talk more at the bottom. For now, I hope people can enjoy more bigNepsy antics, and a slightly - _slightly_ \- more serious shot than most of my stuff. :D**

 **Onward! To OTPs!**

* * *

I smile, humming softly, pitter-pattering down the street. Ahead of me, she walks with long, powerful, confident strides – if not a little irritated, but that's fine – while I travel along behind her, my hands behind my back. The day is warm, the sun bright, and the time early – a perfect day to be out and about. Wonderful!~

"…Rrrr…," she grumbles aloud, her arms coming up from her sides to fold in front of her as her pace increases, and in sequence, as does mine. "…Rrrr," she goes again, her stride now a powerwalk more than anything, though I can keep up. "…Why…"

"Hmmm?~"

She stops, wheeling around to point a finger at me in angry embarrassment. "Why the hell are you following me around?!" she growls out, glaring daggers at me. I pause, raising a finger to my chin as I tilt my head innocently before flashing her a brilliantly warm smile as I lean forward slightly. Hook, line, and sinker; her expression suddenly wavers, her concentration slightly failing her as she huffs. "Ah… Answer the damn question, will you?!"

"Because it's fun, and I have nothing else to do?~" I reply, smiling as I straighten my posture. She seems to have trouble whenever I have even the slightest bit of my chest exposed; it's so cute.~ Ah, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're having trouble focusing on things, huh?~"

She stutters for a few moments before whirling around on her heel again, crossing her arms once more as she storms off – or tries – while muttering about something. Deciding to take this time to close the distance, I quickly jog after her and lean my head over her shoulder, staring at her up close.

"Whatcha' muttering about? Something wrong, little Noire?~"

"I _swear_ I am going to hit you, you obnoxious oversized Neptune. I thought the other dimension's one was bad, but you…"

"Hey, that's rude! I didn't even meet myself and you're being so mean," I press myself against her while hugging her, and she suddenly straightens upright, gasping. "I don't appreciate it,~" I say, snuggling closer while breathing gently into her ear. I watch her struggle to recompose herself as she tries to squirm away, but her efforts only make me work harder to frustrate her. Hahaha.~

"H-hey… g-get off me… If someone… gets the wrong impression…"

"What impression would they get, N-o-i-r-e?~"

She shivers, but seems to recover as she pushes me backward. I stumble, releasing her as she whirls around, drawing her sword. I raise my eyebrows after correcting my balance, grinning. "Why are you doing this to me constantly?!" she growls, and I shrug.

"I enjoy it?~ Is it that much of a problem?~" I respond, eyeing her with the eyes of a wary predator now. If she wants to fight, I'll give her a good one, even if I'm not a CPU.

"It _is!_ People are going to get the wrong impression of me, and you're going to get in the way of my… f-friendship with Plutia!" she snarls back, though her posture is riddled with hesitation. Hmmm.~

"Who's Plutia? Her name sounds better as Plutie," I answer, playing with my hair absentmindedly. Does this cute little girl _genuinely_ have her eye on someone? I don't know if I approve, since she's so fun to fluster and embarrass. How else would I entertain myself? "And are you saying you prefer her over little old me?~ You two-timer.~"

"There's _no two-timing at all!_ Plutia is my f… f-friend, and I'm going to go see her, thank you very much. It's also part of my duties as one CPU to another. Stop bothering me," she answers coldly, and I blink. It seems she's gotten serious about this. Hmm…

"Don't want to,~" I respond, smiling, much to her chagrin. "I've taken a liking to being around you, so accept it!~" I say, stepping forward. Maybe I'll meet this friend of hers and find two people to harass.~

"Noiiiire? Is that youuuuu?" an airy voice calls out ahead of us, behind little Noire. A purple cloud with a small girl attached waddles toward us, a small stuffed animal in her arms, and I tilt my head. "It isssss! Hellloooooo!" she says, stopping just in front of Noire with a sleepy expression in her eyes. Is this…?

"Urk! Um, hey Plutiaaa… Fancy running into you here…," she says with forced cheerfulness, her sword still drawn and pointed at me. "Why don't we go somewhere else…?"

"Hey, Noire!~ Stop two-timing on me with random girls!~ You cheater!~" I shout, watching her entire body flinch as Plutia tilts her head to look past Noire, locking eyes with me. Let's test this kid's mettle.~ "And she's so young, too! Noire, you cradlerobber.~"

She gasps aloud, staring at Noire with large saucer eyes. "Noiiiiire! You're a two-timing cradlerobberrrrr? How cruelllll!"

"No, no, I'm not! I'm not! This girl's just insane!" she hurriedly tries explaining, though I grin and approach while she's distracted. Tackling her from behind, I hug her tightly while gently prodding her sides, watching her stiffen and yelp. "Yaaaagh?!"

"Don't pretend _that fateful night_ meant nothing for you, my dear…~ I know it was as passionate for you as it was for me…~" I grin, whispering into her ear while gently tickling and rubbing her arms and stomach. I mean, not wearing anything there? You're begging to be toyed with.~ "Even if you deny it… your body won't lie…~"

"Noire climbed the ladder to adulthood? Whoaaaaaa…," Plutia responds, and I nod with a hint of blush, watching our victim of teasing flush deeper and deeper red as she attempts to counter anything I say.

"It's, it's, it's not like that! I've never… I've never done anything! I swear!"

"Oh, Noire… but you were so good at _that_ ,~" I respond instantly, licking her cheek.

"Nooooo!"

"Whoa, hey, put that away, Noire!~"

"Noire's gone crazyyyyy!"

 **Please hold.**

"Haah… haah… haah…," Noire pants, her chest heaving over and over as she slumps against a wall in wherever we ran into while I was fleeing from her sword. She finally sets it aside, trying to fix her clothing and hair while panting. Plutia stands off to her side, looking amused and content while staring at her. Me? I'm on the opposite end of the room, just sitting while smirking in victory. "You're… fast… for a human…"

"I'm good at what I do,~" I respond expertly, earning yet another death glare as Plutia cocks her head in confusion. What a cute little girl. She's good at helping me tease Noire. Points for that, little kid!~ "So, Plutia," I start, earning the girl's attention, "It's nice to meet you! I'm Neptune!~"

Her eyes widen. "Whoaaaaa… Neppy got big!"

"That's not the same Neptune, Plutia. That's the one from our dimension. She's not a CPU, so she's human and has been aging, unlike the other one. She's also a massive pain in the ass," Noire grumbles, and I pout.

"You haven't let me show you what I can do back there, yet,~" I respond with a wink, causing her to gasp and blush while Plutia cocks her head again. "Don't worry, don't worry – it's just a joke.~"

"Huhhhh…"

"Y-yeah. Of course. It'd never happen even if it wasn't. _Right?_ "

"Maaaaybe!~"

The next few minutes pass in silence, with Plutia now staring at me instead of Noire, and I find myself almost perturbed by how endless her eye contact is. Does she ever even blink?! Could she be… a synth?! No way, no way. That'd be silly.~

"Do you need something, Plutia?" I ask, finally tired of just being stared at without any inkling as to why.

"Neppy really grows when she grows up!" she chirps, clapping her hands together as if a mother brimming with pride. I blink, caught off-guard, but quickly burst into laughter and nod.

"That's right, that's right!~ I'm the embodiment of a beautiful woman, right?~"

"Beautifullll!"

Noire rolls her eyes again, sighing. She slowly rises to her feet, her appearance returned to the usual semi-elegant, fully-tsun look as she eyes me with a strange look. "You're not going to leave me alone, I'm going to guess, then?"

"We're two peas in a pod! Two bullets in a mag! Two cannibal midgets in a fat guy's ribcage! Inseparable, get it?~" I respond, hopping to my feet as well. "You'll never be rid of me.~"

"Besides the fact that those examples are horrifying and bizarre, I guess it can't be helped. Fine. If you're not going to go away on your own, you… can come along, I guess. Only because it would upset Plutia if we kept going back and forth."

"Alriiight!~" I say, running forward to embrace her again – much to her lack of surprise, though she doesn't resist much this time. Hmmm. "You're warm and squishy in all the right places, y'know?~"

"…Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," she grumbles with only a soft hint of red.

I pause, frowning. "Plutiaaaa, she's getting accustomed to me harassing her."

"Noire's tolerant!" she chirps back, smiling.

"…Huh," I reply, pursing my lips. "Well, I suppose then that I'll stop for a little bit, if she's getting accustomed to it."

"Thank Goddess," she mutters, and I quickly turn my head, shooting her a hungry look. She squeaks now, quivering, and I grin.

"We'll play later then, hm?" I whisper, releasing her as I step back, offering a hand to Plutia to shake. "But, yeah. Nice to meet you, Plutia. I hope we'll have a lot of fun together!~"

"Yaaay! Another Neppy!"

Noire stares at us for a few moments, and then sighs aloud. "Haaah…"

After that, honestly, nothing of real import happens. I end up tagging along with them while they hang out since I genuinely have nothing else that maintains my interest, but watching them spend time together is about as awkward as it gets – I can't really say I have any hopes for Noire's love-life if _this_ is her best effort. Or is it because I'm here?

She glances over at me multiple times while we're all spending time at one of the many department stores being established throughout Planeptune – usually while Plutia is fawning over something or another while I'm checking out something else… and I have to tell ya', our interests can't be further from different. Plutia likes a whole lot of sweets, frilly stuff, and… stuff that just utterly _fits_ her existence, more than anything. Me? I've spent my time perusing the various shoe, book, and jersey sections – a girl has to have priorities, obviously.~ We don't know enough about this continent's fauna, so taking notes sometimes might be good for everyone, and it _should_ entertain me for a little while.~ The shoes and jersey are optional, since I'm pretty sure purple and black is just my thing no matter what, but having spare clothing for if this gets torn or I wear my shoes out would probably be good…

"…What're you looking for, over there?" Noire asks me out of the blue while helping Plutia check out new… what are they? 'Sundresses?' What a weird name. She has one eye closed and her arms crossed, head only just barely turned in my direction from in front of a massive stockpile of stuffed animals, and I have to say it's kind of a cute sight.~ "You're a heck of a lot harder to understand than I first thought."

"Trying to understand little old me?~ I'll tell you _everything_ if you want,~" I say, laughing aloud as her face suddenly reddens and she makes a sound of flustered irritation. She coughs, and I decide to answer her earnestly now. "I'm just looking for spare gear for when I go out to help with fauna-related research. I love my jersey and shoes, but I can't wear just them all the time – and what if they get ripped, right?~ I ought to find a couple other things, too. Maybe even a bra once and awhile.~"

"…Y-you…! You're not wearing…?!" she suddenly blurts out, seemingly far more stunned and taken aback by this answer than I expected. Her head whirls around toward me, and she eyes me for a few moments as if doubting me. I wink at her and unzip it slightly, exposing only a tiny bit of myself, but it's enough to completely cover her face in red, so mission accomplished.~ "You… ugh."

"See?~ That's why I'm looking.~"

"What's Neppy looking fooor?" Plutia asks, popping up with suddenly a few new stuffed animals and still no new dresses. I'm not unimpressed; her priorities are excellent in my eyes. Little girls must remain adorable, and most of these outfits are _not_ for the small and pure.

"…Don't worry about it, Plutia. Let's keep looking for something for you, s-she… needs to find things herself. Come on," she responds, grabbing her arm to tug her away. I smile softly, feeling like I just succeeded slightly in being a decent wingman without intending to.

"…Oh well,~" I mutter to myself, humming softly as I continue my expedition for new outfits. I suppose I can be a supportive friend when I want to be.~

And yet… And yet…! _And yet!_

Mission failure. Twice. I. Can't. Find. _Anything!_ Uaaaaah! Why is all of this either one-hundred-percent ladylike, or so skimpy it strikes me as S &M gear?! What sort of department store has only these tastes?! What are they, massive, super-ultra-perverts?! Did little me have a hand in this?!

And that's not including failure number two; Noire's time with Plutia was about as successful as her attempts to get rid of me. In fact, this little girl who looks even smaller than Plutia's appeared, and then this tall, _massive_ blond-haired woman appeared as well, and they're all bickering like best friends – but that's not really good for the aspiring maiden, now is it?~

Hmm… since this store ended up failing me, I might as well drop on by. Sneaking through the many pile-ups of various fluffy, bright-colored items, I stalk the party for a few moments unnoticed before pouncing on Noire, hugging her from behind while they're mid-conversation. She makes a soft sound of surprise before nearly falling over, with the two new faces' eyes widening in surprise or in horror, while Plutia beams in amused satisfaction.

"Hello, my sweet Noire!~" I chirp, nuzzling her gently. Her face heats up fast, it seems, and she's at a loss for words, so I just smile. "And hello again, Plutia!~ I've returned!~"

"Neppy's baaaack!" she responds happily, with the other two exchanging looks.

"… _That's_ Neptune…?" the small one says softly.

"Oh my, Neptune has grown… If I would be so presumptuous, are you the same Neptune from before…?" the larger one inquires, tilting her head.

"I never met lil' me, but I'm not the same one.~ I'm just a small-town girl, living in our lovely world.~" I answer, relenting to release Noire after a few minutes as I hop backwards, standing upright with a beaming smile. "It's nice to meet you both! I don't know you all too well, but I'll be in your care.~"

They exchange wary expressions, the small one sighing. She extends a hand to me, though, with a kind but suspicious look in her eye. "My name is Blanc. I'm the patron CPU of Lowee."

I accept her hand and shake it merrily, nodding without too much concern. "Nice to meet ya', Blanc!~ Let's get along well, yep?~ You're so cute and small compared to everyone else here.~"

She pauses, at a loss for words; that, or she's holding back embarrassed anger. I can't really tell which, but she sighs and nods slowly. "…The same to you; you are even more of an outgoing handful than the other you."

The larger woman now bows, smiling warmly at me. Older sister-type?! "I should introduce myself as well – I am Vert, the ruler of Leanbox. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Neptune of our world. I do hope we may have a long and prosperous friendship,~" she says with a sing-song tone of amusement, beaming at me. I feel myself suddenly threatened… there's another womanly type in this group?!

"Same to you, same to you!~ I'm so happy that all of Noire's friends are such wonderful people.~" We exchange handshakes as well, though her grip is not as firm as Blanc's, and yet… what is this feeling of being defeated? "I hope we can get along well; I'll be your care.~"

Plutia now waddles up, extending her hand, and I smile. I take it, shaking it as well. "And hello, again, Plutia – let's be great friends, huh?~"

She nods slowly, her smile brighter than the lights here. "Friends with Neppy, yaaaay."

Noire, finally recovered, sighs aloud. "I was hoping that they wouldn't have to meet and deal with your shenanigans too, but I suppose I should have expected this. Whatever."

Blanc frowns, tilting her head slightly. "How, exactly, did you happen upon her…? I had considered the possibility of another her existing in our dimension, but… I had not really given it much thought."

Noire's expression changes into a somewhat unreadable one. "That's a difficult story to explain, and one I don't really want to remember. Let's keep it short, for the sake of simplicity – and Plutia – alright? So, basically, she stumbled upon me while I was trying to do some scouting for a newly-discovered cave in Lastation's regions, and…"

"After I _acquainted_ myself with her and her lovely self, I decided to help her before I became… a maiden in love…,~" I say with a light dusting of red, acting bashful simply for the sake of it – Vert smirking alongside a beaming Plutia, while Blanc stares on in disbelief and Noire bites back embarrassment. "And so… here I am! Noire loves to bring me around everywhere, you see.~"

" _I do not!_ " she quickly shouts back, earning the attention of everyone in the store. "U-urk." She coughs, frowning at me. "But, that's the basic gist of it. This idiot-molester decided to start following me after deciding it was fun to annoy and harass me, and I can't get rid of her. And now she's met you all."

"What a strange story; I, too, didn't give too much consideration to a Neptune of our dimension, but I must say that she is as wonderfully bizarre as her counterpart – perhaps even more-so, it seems," Vert remarks, looking me over.

"…And the fact that she was actually right about her eventually growing… Rrrgh…," Blanc mumbles in annoyance, and I smile while cocking my head.

"Do CPUs not age, or something?" I ask, wondering. "If so, you guys really have most of the bases covered, then.~"

"…Bases?" Blanc asks.

"Yeah, yeah!~ The mature older-sister type, the teenage cutie, the slightly spacey little girl, and the adorable, petite, quiet type,~" I say nonchalantly, grinning at Blanc. She might be fun to bother, too, since she seems so straight-laced.~

"…Petite?" she replies, eyeing me carefully. Is she overly conscious about how small and adorable she is?

"Mm! You're adorable!~" I say, leaning forward to hug her – much to her chagrin and both Noire and Plutia's surprise – as I rub my cheek against hers. "You're so quiet, I _have_ to hug ya'!~"

"Oh my, she's surprisingly good at dancing around _that_ topic," Vert remarks quietly, and Blanc's head turns instantly to glare daggers at her. Hmm… Perhaps not commenting was the best approach – I didn't want to outrun another CPU anyway.

"…I wanna' hug tooooo…," Plutia remarks, and all of our eyes shift to her.

"Hmmm… gotcha'!~" I say, changing to grab and lift her off the ground while hugging her at once. Rubbing my face into her giant fluff of hair, I chuckle softly. "You're so fuzzy.~"

"Fuzzyyyy…?"

"Fuzzy! Your hair is so soft.~"

"Yaaaay…"

"…Sigh," Noire mutters, her expression somewhat sullen. I gasp, setting Plutia down while pointing at her.

"Plutia!" I exclaim.

"Waaah! Yeeeesss?"

"Noire needs hugs, too, stat!~ Let's go!~" I command, quickly grabbing Noire's arms so that she can't escape her imminent fate.

"Noiiiiire… huuuug!"

"I… I was okaaaaay!"

 **Please stand by.**

Now that we've exited the department store, the CPUs chatter amongst themselves while I follow up the rear, humming softly. This group of people seem very close to one another; it almost makes me wonder…

…Ah, yeah, there it is. It looks like Blanc and Noire are arguing over Plutia. Yep, love-triangle. What a conundrum. I mean, it's not abnormal for relationships to be blooming in close friend groups, especially when it's nothing but cute girls, but rivalries can be kind of a problem. I don't know if I can address it in any way – and I don't believe I have to, since Plutia's acting airheaded enough to completely negate most of it – so I should probably stay out of it, though it's still a little awkward to see.

Vert flashes me a knowing smirk from ahead, and I shrug helplessly with a sympathetic smile as I slowly pace after them, humming softly again. I half-listen to their conversation, but mostly tune them out as I walk along, letting my mind turn to mush. If I'm being honest, I don't know these girls all that well, so butting into their problems is none of my business, really, but I feel obligated to try and help them where able. I wonder how the little me dealt with this group?

 **Somewhere else, in another dimension, perhaps…**

"Heeeey! Ganging up on me three-on-one isn't fair, you guys!"

"It's smart – you're going to be a problem if we don't take you down now."

"Blanc's right; you had it coming, Neptune. If you'd stop trying to show off and outdo us all the time, I _might_ lend you some of my help."

"Ohh? Noire, are you proposing betraying our temporary alliance?"

"Noire, please help me! I'll do anything!"

"A… _Anything?!_ "

"Girls… How… Are… Reparations… Coming along?"

"…Ah! Histy! Could you get us some snacks?"

"I'd like some more of those Blanc Manjus."

"Ah, then may I request some Horsebird Sashimi?"

"…Uh, guys… Histoire, repairs are…"

" _You're all still lazing around! That's unacceptable!_ "

"Whoa! Histy, don't become Pissty! We worked hard! Wait, noooo!"

"…Girls, I suddenly remembered I must tend to Leanbox's affairs."

"Lastation is under control, but I… I ought to check on Uni."

"Rom and Ram are probably growing restless right about now…"

"Don't abandon meeee!"

 **Returning…**

It seems they've all began parting ways – Blanc went off to run errands, while Vert said she had a 'backlog' or something, and Plutia ended up getting dragged off against her will by Histoire, leaving me to attend to a rather sullen-seeming Noire. I trail after her for a few minutes, remaining silent, and notice she doesn't even seem to care. I tilt my head, frowning. How to investigate this…?

"…Hey, Neptune," she suddenly starts, and I jump. She stops, turning to look at me with sad eyes, and I blink in surprise.

"Yeah? What's up, Noire?" I ask, the nurturing side of me feeling obligated to come out. "Are ya' alright? What's wrong?"

"Do you… ever think she'll notice?" she mutters softly, and I freeze. _That's_ a question I didn't really expect. Noire kicks at the ground while hanging her head slightly, her expression already mirroring the answer she knows I'll give.

"…Uhh… well, if you want honesty – maybe?" I reply, and her eyes roll up to rest intently on me. That's a mix of emotions I'm… somewhat familiar with. Aw heck, I have to handle this somewhat delicately. "Plutia seems really rather airheaded, so I can't, uh, guarantee it, but… um, ya've known her the longest out of everyone, right?"

"…Yeah. I've known her for a long time, now."

"Then, out of everyone, I'd say ya' have the best chance to discover the answer to that, y'know? She seems warmer to you than the others, in my opinion," I explain, thinking I handled that relatively well, though I might've overstepped or been a tad too harsh somewhere. This heavy stuff isn't my usual shtick, so, ugh.

"…Maybe you're right, but she's never really shown me any signs, and I've just been thinking about it more, since… since you've shown up." Ah, crap! I might've ruined any chances with… ah, crap.

"Look, um… I'm, sorry about that, Noire. I, uh… wasn't intending to get in the way…"

"No, no, that's… not what I'm saying. I don't think it made a difference. If anything, she was… the same as always. She's never been easy to understand, yet the other Neptune got closer to her than I ever was, so…"

Ah, R-I-P, lil' me; your antics may have had consequences. Not like I'll learn from them, but, hey. I'll call out the elephant in the room. I sigh, rubbing the back of my head for a moment, debating how to handle the girl before me. I suppose, the first thing to do… I step forward, setting a hand on her head as I rub her gently, wrapping my other arm around her neck to guide her into my shoulder. She sighs, her breath a little shaky, her hands balled into fists at her sides.

"I… don't think it'll ever go anywhere, and it's… hard to swallow."

"Hey, hey, don't throw in the towel _that_ easily. I'd say you just got caught up on an emotional day – probably from my insensitive antics, so I'll apologize for that in advance. I'll, uh, be more considerate from now on, alright? So don't give up yet – you haven't gotten a clear answer, and if you need me to, I'll try to run wingman for ya', alright? So, c'mere," I say, hugging her gingerly, patting her back as she slowly crumbles into my arms.

I really got myself into something, now, I guess. Well, as they say – lay in the bed ya' made. Or something.

 **Later.**

Managing to have made it back to Lastation in one piece, I've escorted Noire to her room and got her to sleep, though she's still genuinely just out of it. I think it's all been piling up, so I'm not able to really speculate more than 'Plutia's as clueless as expected,' and 'Noire's screwed,' but that's not my place to say. If she can succeed and prove me wrong – I'll be pleasantly surprised. I'll throw her as much of my support as possible from now on, and _maybe_ step off on the careless flirting from now on. More misunderstandings if they make any progress would be horrible, and I'd be the homewrecker – and I'm not gonna' do that.

Alright, Noire. I'll give it my best for ya'!

 **Later (again), a couple weeks afterward; at a small get-together party.**

Honestly, it's weird to be here. Like, really weird.

I went from not knowing anyone at all, to knowing Noire, to knowing all four CPUs of the world, and now knowing the entire group of people, while also being invited to any parties they have. Like this current one. I never woulda' guessed that they actually have get-togethers like this, but I seem to have been proven wrong!

I walk about, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere – it's a hangout in Planeptune's Basilicom, which is a _lot_ frillier than I expected, even with knowing Plutia and the city itself, and the amount of people here is almost a little overwhelming. Massive robot dude, check. Little punchy-kid, check. Compa and IF doing whatever they do, check. Blanc reading quietly in the corner, check. Vert fawning over various teenage girls in a hunt for sisters, and also now sitting with a group of girls huddled over books with two guys on them… check. Plutia in the center of a crowd of faces, check. Noire? Noiiiire?

Ah, she's off to the side, sitting in a chair at one of the tables. She looks like a massive loner – but anyone who comes near her seems to be ignored. Damn. Alright, I suppose I'll stop loitering to go and loiter around her instead. What a twist!

"Hey, hey!~" I chirp, pulling up a chair beside her, plopping down. She lifts her head, looking over at me – her eyes half-glazed, her reactions kind of dulled. That's not a good sign. Wait a minute, "Hey, Noire… what're you drinking?"

"I don't know, but it kinda' burns, yet I feel a bit better, sooo…," she mutters back, swishing it around in the glass. It's a reddish-orange color, and it takes me a couple of minutes to realize she's managed to find _alcohol_ at this event. I look about the room, contemplating who the culprit would be, but I suppose that's not my current priority. "It's prettyyy…"

"Hey, hey, um… set that down, alright?" I say, trying to politely take the glass from her. This isn't a great sign _at all_. I didn't think CPUs could get intoxicated, but then again – I never actually really considered them the type to drink, anyway. She grumbles and moves her hands away, glaring at me for a few moments before downing the rest of the glass. My eyes widen in horror, and I frown. "That's not good for ya', Noire."

"I don't… really care."

Did I miss something? I begin playing with my hair, scooting closer. "I'm, uh, here if you need a friend. I'm gonna' stick to you tonight, since you've apparently been wiping out… oh, wow. That's a whole bottle. Okay, yeah. I'm gonna' keep you company, alright?"

"…Sure, do whatever you want, Neptune."

So, she's the mellow type. That's… strangely fitting. "Did something happen to make ya' want to indulge? C'mon and speak to good old Neppy."

She snorts quietly, shaking her head. "Nothin'. Asss usual." Her speech is a little slurred, but I still get the gist and can interpret most of it. "Not like anythin'll happen, ever, anyway."

"That's not… hah, if you say so. I won't argue with ya'," I remark, running a hand up and down her back in an attempt to console her. "Though, uh…" What the heck do I say here? I find myself at a loss.

"…Hey, Neptune." I tilt my head, looking at her. "…Am I just not attractive?"

"That's not true, sweet little maiden!" a voice suddenly calls out, and I notice an extreme pretty-boy approaching us. Ick. I'll just picture him all blacked out, as if he's an unimportant character. "You are the epitome of beauty; especially when you look as miserable and feeble as you do.~"

A sudden flare of anger wells up in me. "Hey, pal, knock that off."

"Ohh? Who is this purple-haired… Ah, nevermind.~ I mean no harm, I am simply a connoisseur of good taste; a lovely, frail soul that wishes to express his mind!" I don't like him. At all.

"Hah. You remind me of some'ne I dealt with before… annoying. Go away."

"Ah, how cruel! But if I were to leave now, how would I enjoy the look of sullen unhappiness in your eyes?"

I growl, standing up. "I'm not sure what you're trying to do, 'frail' maiden of a man, but I'm not going to let you harass her. That's my job, and mine alone."

"Ah… so cruel! If being ignored is enough to upset this pretty little face, then I suppose she is as weak-willed as people tend to expect."

 _Shatter_.

"What the hell do you know, jerk?" Noire blurts out, standing up. She's a little unsteady, so I offer her a shoulder to lean on as she glares daggers at him. "You're… jussst some loser. I'm… not upset, I'm jussst… thinking. Neptune… if he doesn't go away…"

"I'll _make_ him. I got it, Noire," I vow, helping her sit back down before stepping in front of her, toward him. People like him bother me, genuinely.

"Ah, ah, I suppose I have overstayed my welcome, then. I'm not cut out for these confrontational moments, so, while it pains me, I shall depart, then. Farewell, for now, Noire…~"

…

"You attract some weird stalkers."

"Don't… say that about yourself," she says, hiccuping. She holds a hand to her stomach, her face slowly paling. "I don't… feel too great."

"Lemme' find you a bucket or something, and then let me get ya' home. No more drinking, got it?"

"…Fine. Not like I want to be… here, anyway…"

I sigh, nodding. "I get it, I get it. Alright, just a moment…"

 **A few uncomfortable moments later.**

I run my hand in circles on her back, escorting her through the darkened streets of Planeptune, frowning. I managed to get her out of the party before she began getting rid of the alcohol, but I don't know if she'll make an entire walk through the forest before she passes out. Should I just get a room for the night…?

"…Ugh… I feel like hell…"

"Alcohol can do that to ya'. Especially in the amount you consumed. I'm feeling a bit queasy just thinking of it," I remark, sighing. How to spend my night; the smell of puke lingering in my nose while I try to console Noire. Normally I'd have pep and clever comments for this kind of stuff, but I don't think I have the energy, and that guy got under my skin.

"…Hey… you never…"

"Hm? What's up?" I respond, tilting my head. She really _does_ look kind of feeble and broken, though. I don't like it. How can I turn this around…?

"You never… answered…"

"…Eh? Ah, whether you're attractive?"

She turns her head slightly, nodding slowly, her grip on my shoulder tightening as she steadies herself. Oop, better hand her the bucket again. Good thing I brought a few bags, too. It takes her a few moments, but after she finishes, she slumps back against me. "…Mm."

I smile, exhaling. "I'll have to say, I think you're the prettiest girl I've met, and that's sayin' something. You're definitely attractive, Noire."

She laughs, her tone portraying disbelief. "Then why… s'she still ignorin' me?"

I frown, humming aloud for a moment. "Maybe she's got bad taste? Or maybe she's a hetero?"

"Pffft… I dunno'… Maybe I'm jussst… not cut out for it."

I sigh, shaking my head. "That's not true. I think you just picked the wrong pretty face to fall for, s'all. Or maybe you're expecting things to happen faster than…"

"Don't… tell me that it'll… take time. Tha… Thas' crap 'n you know it, Nep… Neptyoon…"

"Nep _tyoon_? That's a cute way of pronouncing it," I remark with a laugh, and she raises her hand to try and express exasperation, but it just really looks like she's flailing like a little kid. Grinning, I lead her finally to the outskirts of town, taking a moment to breathe deeply. "Think you'll stay awake for the trip back home?"

"…I dunno'… maybe? Everythin'… blurry 'n stuff. You… smell nice."

…Pffffft! "Ahahaha, thanks. I'll keep that in mind for tomorrow, since I'm covered in your sweat and a little bit of your vomit."

"…Stupid Nep…tyoon."

The next hour or two passes by relatively quietly, our slow-paced trip going about as well as I expected. Contrary to what I first estimated, she's still awake, at least. I keep my eyes on her at all times while listening for movement around us, though everything is beyond silent.

"…I think I might… give up on Plut…," she mutters suddenly, and I raise an eyebrow.

"You gonna' go hetero?"

"Haah… I dunno'… men are…"

"Gross?"

She hangs her head, nodding. "…Yeah. I can't… do that, even iffywantid."

She's slurring more, I'm losing her, captain! "I'm sorta' glad."

"…Mh?" she goes, turning her head slightly toward mine. I wince at the smell getting stronger by this simple movement, but tolerate it. "S'thamean?"

"I don't like the idea, that's all," I mutter. "I'd just prefer you find someone better."

"…You're… bein' really kind," she says, pulling herself a bit closer. "Though… s'withat. Don't you… always try to tease me? 'Happened to that?"

"…Hm? I thought it got in the way, so I stopped."

"Don't. It's… nice."

"…Haah. Got it," I grumble, nodding. Fickle tsunqueen. "Alcohol makes ya' more honest, then?"

"…Yeah. Sssuppose so. Or I… just don't care anymore."

"Ah, _there's_ the tsun."

"Sssshut up."

The rest of the trip goes by silently, with her half-dozing on me. I manage to get her back to Lastation and slip past most of the Basilicom staff to avoid any bad publicity, quickly making way for her private living quarters. I've gotten used to this place since she let me stay here from the get-go, despite all the complaints and denials in public appearances – and she even gave me the spare bedroom, which was really kind of her, so things proceed pretty smoothly in handling her. Managing to get her into the relatively extravagant bathroom she had created specially, I find myself reddened over the fact that…

"Hey… Noire," I say, shaking her gently as I set her down against the tub wall. This'll be a really awkward conversation if she's sobered up at all.

"…Mm? Neptyoon…? What… s'up? So… bright."

"…Y'mind if I… uh, strip you? Gonna' wash ya' before I get you to bed, since… y'know, you're covered in your own puke," I explain as eloquently as I can think of, feeling extremely embarrassed suddenly. This isn't like me. Get it together, Neptune!

"…Sure. Join meee…,~" she says in a playful tune, smiling weakly.

"…Eh?"

"…I'll let you, if you join me…"

I cock my head, somewhat floored. "Clarifying… in the bath?"

"…Mm."

I blink, sighing as I rub my scalp awkwardly. "I… guess. Alright, well, pardon me. Lemme' get you first."

"…Mm. Go… 'head."

The process of removing her clothing piece by piece feels a lot slower and a lot more embarrassing than I want to admit, and I find myself shaky and flustered beyond anything I've dealt with before, but I manage to get her stripped down. I sigh, wiping my forehead, rubbing my cheeks to try and rid myself of the redness.

"Alright, uh, done. Now, lemme' get you into the bath…"

"…Nnnooo. Join meee… Let me lay on you…"

…It's going to be a long bath, isn't it?

 **Embarrassed Neptune stripping scene here. Pervert.**

Sighing, I stare at my hoodie on the floor with disbelief. I've joked about doing this sort of stuff before, but… this is a hell of a lot more awkward than I thought. Removing my underwear as well, I set them in a little pile to the side, shaking Noire's shoulder again to rouse her from her half-daze. "Noire. Hey, Noire."

"…Mm? Ah… nice.~"

 _Bluuuush._ I cough, shaking my head. "We're… getting in now."

"…Mm."

I maneuver lifting her up, doing my best to ignore the soft warmth of certain exposed parts of her skin, guiding her into my lap into the bath, letting her lay back against me. She nestles into me, and I watch her fumble with removing the ribbons from her hair – to where I eventually help, as she's having a poor time of it – before she simply just lays back, humming softly. When did our roles reverse?

"…Alright, gonna' start the water now. Which soap do you tend to use?"

"…Tha' one," she gestures, readjusting herself to be more comfortable – which is even less comfortable for my mind, since she's getting cozier and cozier against me. She chuckles softly, leaning back while looking up at me as I start the water. "You…'re warm and nice.~"

"…Thanks, I, uh, try."

The next few minutes are agonizingly slow, since she doesn't cooperate all that well in letting me wash her body, and while I considered we use a shower instead – I think the battle to get her to cooperate would be even worse in that scenario. I manage, though – scrubbing her over rather well. Even the parts that I didn't exactly _want_ to rub while she was drunk, but, I guess I'll do what I have to. She chuckles and makes noises here and there to floor me – successfully, of course – and I find myself grateful as we're letting the water drain, while I help her out of the tub to begin the drying-off process.

"…Hey…"

"…Yeah, Noire?" I say, rubbing her over with the towel, doing my best to remain composed. My composure _is_ really beginning to crumble now though, after all. "What's up?"

"…Thanks, Nep…," she mutters, and I snort air through my nose in amusement. But without the sound of snorting. Breathing air through the nose. That sounds dumb.

"Hey, anytime. Now, let's get you dressed and to bed, okay?" I say softly, guiding her out of the bathroom, ensuring to keep the two of us wrapped in towels. "Anything specific that you like to wear to bed?"

"…Pajamas… over there."

"Got it. Sit down, lemme' get 'em," I say, helping her onto her bed. She sways a little, but seems to obey the order as I retrieve them – pink with cute little creatures all over them. Adorable, honestly. "Alright, sit still for a minute, okay?"

"…Mm… Hey, Nep…"

"Yeah?"

"…Sleep with me."

I feel something inside me break, and I narrow my eyes on her. She smiles innocently, and I emit a shaky sigh. I don't have pajamas of my own, but I can find something. "I'll… go get something to wear, then."

She giggles, suddenly wrapping her arms around me, pulling me down onto the bed with her. "Nnnno! Let's just… sleep.~"

…The drunken Noire is an intimidating foe. As I manage to convince her to get under the covers, I hear her continually trying to say various things to me, but they're unintelligible, so I just refrain from asking since I'm relatively sure that they're _not_ going to just be 'thank you' over and over. They sound like confessions and offers, which I won't acknowledge… like this.

Not until she's sober.

Watching her, after however long, she finally gives up trying to form coherent sentences and instead just slips into a comfortable slumber. Her arms remain wrapped around me, her body pressed against mine, and I notice for the first time how wonderful she looks with her hair down, and how I missed bits of water, or maybe it's sweat, emphasizing…

It's going to be a long night. I hope I get at least a couple hours of sleep.

I never… really expected anything from this friendship after I decided to be her supportive wingman, but now… I kind of hope she remembers some of this for tomorrow.

 **A long, restless night of being unable to do anything but notice every minute detail about her cuddled-up partner passes…**

Watching as the sun rises higher into the sky – probably somewhere past eight or nine, now, I notice she begins to stir. I gulp, watching her make a soft sound as she licks her lips, yawning. Her eyes slowly open, and she stares at me for a few moments, before her eyes widen further, and I can already notice a plethora of emotions run through her. She suddenly rises, pulling away from me, but quickly winces and holds a hand to her head, muttering about the intense head-splitting headache.

"…G'morning, Noire," I say weakly, sighing. I'm so _tired_ now. I hope this won't be a difficult or lengthy conversation.

"…M-morning, Neptune. Um…," she starts, her eyes doing their best not to stare at me as I hoist myself into a sitting position as well. Seeing the sun illuminate her body, I gulp again and shake my head to rid myself of _those_ thoughts.

"Uh… remember anything?" I ask, and she slightly shakes her head. Trying to avoid fast movements, huh? "Yeah, don't make any sudden movements and, uh, avoid bright lights and loud noises for a few hours, or longer. You, um, downed a large bottle of alcohol, last night – presumably high-proof whiskey, judging by the color when I found you."

"…I did?"

"Yyyeah. You refused to give me the last glass to dispose of, and downed that too. Not sure where you got it, but it was while we were at that party. After some jerk started stuff, I decided to get you home as you were already beginning to, well, devolve into a drunken mess."

"…I… I see. So that's what happened. Um… and after that…? We didn't, uh…"

"Hm?" Her face is scarlet. That's so much more normal. I like it. "No, no, I didn't give in to your adorable begging,~" I say, and she covers her face with her hands – emphasizing an already wonderful view. "Though, yeah, it's been a long night. I didn't manage to get you into your pajamas either, since you refused to let me go grab something for myself, so after our bath, we kind of just slept here like this."

"…We had a bath? T-together?"

"…Yyyyup. I'll, uh, spare you the details since I'm too tired to tease you. But," I pause, watching her uncover her face long enough to watch me curiously. I raise a thumb with a smile. "You look far better than I'd have ever imagined, y'know.~ And, of course, I actually really like you with your hair down.~"

As a couple minutes pass, all of her blood rushes to her face and she sighs shakily. "I'm… I… I…"

"But, I'll treat last night as nothing if you want it to be. I'm gonna' pass out soon either way, so you can figure things out while I sleep," I say nonchalantly, feeling a little sad, but – I'll be her friend more than anything. "Catch ya' soon…~"

"…Hey, wai…"

 _Flop._

 **Later.**

As I stir, I try to stretch out and yawn, but notice my arms pinned under Noire, who lays on me with a bright red face still, nestled against me. I blink, staring at her for a few moments in disbelief, my thoughts already starting to turn like gears.

"…I remember a bit," she mutters. "…Thanks, Neptune."

"…Hmhm. So…?"

"…I've… I've given up on Plutia, obviously, so…"

I raise an eyebrow. Is that it? "…So?"

She lifts her head, wiggling closer as she places a gentle kiss against my lips. My eyes widen, and her face flushes further red, her hands entwining with mine.

"…Don't… go anywhere."

"…I wouldn't dream of it.~"

* * *

 **The latter bits... _could_ have been extended in various ways, but I'm not feeling up to fleshing out some rather precariously intimate scenes at the current time, as that could either ruin or glorify it, and I'm not sure which one I'd end up causing at this time of night. Regardless, I've read through it a few times and thought it was relatively pleasant, even if I used a couple time-skips to avoid just... well, creating unnecessary but fun banter. It takes a bit more effort than expected to constantly drag out constant character interaction without things becoming repetitive. Props to people that are able to do that consistently - I'd probably do the same if I gave myself room for more characters rather than mainly just Neppy-Noire.**

 **I think these attempts at Blanc and Vert from the UDimension were the best portrayals I've done, which isn't saying much, but I think it's an excellent improvement. Plutia would also usually use ~s but since Neppy utilized them, I figured just stretching out the words got the same message across while still dividing character speech. I like writing her, even if she's the complete opposite of my writing style.**

 **Regardless! I think each segment fits together well, considering they were all done consecutively. I should probably slap a little information down here about a few things as well, so this might be a longer note than usual;**

I'm using a different computer, so I've kind of scrapped six or seven things I was working on, including an update to Unlikely Partnership - but that's okay, since that'll probably be getting a major rewrite. I didn't mind how I was directing the series, and the plot's going to remain consistent, but I could flesh out the scenes a lot better and extend some things that I originally didn't feel like extending. So, that's about that. I also wrote up a few other BigNep-mainNoire interactions, but I realized how very borderline NTR it is to post that stuff, especially with the directions each of those went, so I'm gonna' avoid posting those for the time being while I instead focus on more widely-agreeable updates. Next on the list... is, actually, UNoire/mainNep. Had an idea for the longest time that I didn't do from what I recall, but since I've posted a couple slightly dark/different portrayals of Nep, I figure it'll be okay. I also _should_ eventually re-read the shots I've posted to avoid repetition, but where's the fun in that?~ Also, I wanted to say that I really appreciate all the feedback you guys all tend to give. It really helps, and it's really motivating to receive, and I feel wonderful as a result. :D I love you all.~

But, for now, I'll post this, and probably grab some water. Debate whether I'll immediately delve into the next story, or if I'll _actually_ get some decent sleep. While it'd be logical to do the latter, I'm enjoying myself - especially with these new constant streams with YT. Nightcore isn't so bad... at night... to just constantly jam in your ears. It's really actually pleasant; I have to recommend it.

With that said, Tainted out!~


	26. Shot 26! Merry (Late) Yurimas, Everybody

**I lied. It wasn't actually a UNoire/mainNep. Turns out, I felt as whimsical as always and wrote a very late Christmas shot. Go figure.**

 **Know what? I didn't know where I was going with this, and it became more and more pleasant to write as time went on. It got really sappy. I don't even know.**

 **Go ahead, read it. You can't unyurify it.**

* * *

Christmas – a time of year I often try to do without. Honestly, even now, after the Console War has ended, I'm reminded how simply crushingly lonely this holiday genuinely feels to me, and _that's_ putting it mildly. I sigh, sliding another stack of completed papers out of the way before sliding onto my desk, letting the coolness of the wood emanate into my skin. I yawn, utterly uninterested in the festivities going on behind me, out in the main streets of Lastation. I appreciate giving my people the ability to celebrate, and they always seem so joyful and happy – but, even on times where I tried to blend in with them, it ended up poorly. Who really has the nerve to spend their time leisurely with their ruler? It makes sense, but that doesn't make it less sad.

I _could_ ask the others if they wanted to get together, but that would go against my pride – being as emotionally soft as they are would make me seem weak in the eyes of my populace, and I can't abide by that. I _refuse_ to, more than anything. And I suppose Uni must be busy with something, hence the lack of any company whatsoever, even now. I hope she's having a better time of it than I am.

…Moping isn't going to improve matters, though. Chin up, back straight, and eyes forward. I can make even more progress as the companies are releasing their seasonal new technology and products – products that resulted from my consistent supervision and funding, no less – so that I remain ahead of the game. Blanc has relented, and Vert never could keep up, and Neptune just doesn't care, so I can use this time to extend Lastation support to the other continents.

Not that I'd ever _do_ anything with the support. Even if I don't tend to admit it, I like having them around. Life is less black and white. However, if I ever said that… I shudder. I don't need _more_ reasons for them to harass me. As if appreciating your friends is _that_ weird. Jerks.

I need some tea, and something to eat. Maybe I'll at least go for a walk and make some rounds through the city. That should be fine, right? Yeah, of course it should. Even _I_ can take breaks now and then. Yeah. Rising from my chair, I stretch, yawning gently, before gathering the large stack of papers, taking them with me to the central region of the Basilicom to drop off. We have less people working today, since it's a holiday and I'll let them stay with their families – even if it impedes our progress, I'm not a tyrant. The man working the counter nods appreciatively at me, accepting the papers with ease, and I am left free for the time being.

Alright, time to head out. I smile softly to myself, enjoying the concept of a little bit of free time. Maybe I'll check out that new café over toward the cosplay section of the city. I hear they've got good food and the dresses are cute, so maybe I'll get some ideas of my own for new outfit ideas. It's not like I took up the hobby for anything weird – but I like having variety in my wardrobe, and despite how the other three feel, always dressing the same way every day is _really_ boring.

On the way out, I notice a familiar pinkish-purple spiky ball of energy is, surprisingly, waiting for me. My eyebrows raise as I make my way over to her, and as she notices me, she tilts her head and beams brilliantly at me. I… have to admit, the dope has a wonderful smile. It's brighter than anyone else I've ever met, and I think that's why I get so frustrated – she somehow gets under my skin so easily, it floors me.

"Hey! Merry Christmas, Noire!" she chirps, closing the remaining distance with a gentle hug. I inhale sharply at the sudden contact, but relent and pet her head – a seeming ritual lately for whenever we see one another, though I don't know when it started. It's nice, though; she's warm, and she doesn't smell _bad_ , to say the least. "Headin' out?" she asks, turning her head upward from my chest to look up at me.

I cough, doing my best to rid myself of the annoying red spreading across my cheeks. "Yeah, merry Christmas to you, too, Neptune. I figured I'd take a break from my paperwork and go get something to eat. I'm going to guess I can't stop you from tagging along?" I half-inquire, half-resign myself; she never really listens even if I try to argue with her, so she just does whatever she wants and I let it go. I guess that's how our friendship goes – whatever happens, happens, and we just kind of move along whether it's small and trivial or large and disastrous. We kind of bonded a couple years back, after the whole incident with the 'True Goddess', anyway, so I can't say it's unexpected. We got closer. Isn't that how all friends work?

"Hmm… nope! I'll come with ya', since I don't really have much else to do here." Duh – you're in _my_ city, you dope. Of _course_ you're here to follow me around. Dork. "Where are we going?" she asks, releasing me after a few more seconds of hugging me. She plays with her hair to mess up the sort of orderly vibe I ended up creating from running my hand over her head repeatedly, and I sigh. I don't really know how she'd look if she weren't always so spiky and Neptune'y. Maybe better, maybe worse – she'd probably look more like Nepgear, which is… weird.

"I was thinking of checking out the new maid café down in the cosplay section. I hear it has good publicity and it might be a good change of pace for creativity – my wardrobe seems a little lackluster lately," I explain, not really minding whether she knows or not; she figured it out a while ago, so I can't really deny it, and she didn't go as far into teasing me about it as I'd normally expect, so I'll just roll with it lately.

"Hmm… maid café? That sounds kinda' cool – you'd probably look nice like that," she remarks, nodding. I feel somewhat embarrassed by this review, but say nothing. "I wouldn't mind trying one on if you do, though it might not fit me as well, ahaha," she laughs, rubbing the back of her head.

"I don't think that's true – you'd probably look really… c-cute, actually," I mutter the last few words, feeling it somewhat awkward to praise her. I hope she doesn't get the wrong idea.

"…Haha, I'll try it then!" she answers after a few moments, beaming at me. "We'd be a more iconic duo than even Team Rocket!" she continues, chuckling quietly. I cock my head, wondering.

"…I'll take your word for it, since I don't recognize that name, but, you want to head out?" I say, and she nods. I smile, leading the way as we depart from my Basilicom, off into the slightly-blistery Lastation scene.

"Honestly, I never really knew that our continents had actual 'seasons' of any kind," she suddenly notes, looking over the slightly cool air and light snow dusting the city. I nod after a few moments, remembering that she ended up losing her memory as a result of everything. I sometimes recall those days and feel bad, but she doesn't seem to harbor a grudge, so I figure I might as well move forward as well. "Lastation's actually kinda' pretty around this time of year,~" she teases, grinning at me.

"As if you're saying my city isn't ever _not_ pretty, in its own way," I answer, smirking. "You're just so dang bright that you can't appreciate our charm as well," I continue, nodding. "And we're able to make the 'Christmas season' look a lot more appealing than Lowee does, too."

We both laugh, thinking back on the extreme blizzards that tend to end up hitting Lowee at this time of year. Each continent has its own climate – Planeptune tends to remain on the warmer, almost spring-time side, where Lastation could be compared to autumn, Lowee to winter, and Leanbox to summer. It's a pleasant experience to visit each of the four throughout the different times of the year, except Lowee in winter and Leanbox in summer – they're utterly disgusting at those two times.

"Your residents look really excited," she says, and I nod again. She really mellowed out after everything ended, even if she still has her happy-go-lucky charm and playful attitude. It's hard to believe I ever actually had a problem with her. "It's nice, since you guys are workaholics like, ninety percent of the time, so you look so darn happy when you aren't knee-deep in it, y'know?"

I grin. "Of course. We enjoy our brief respites more _because_ we're almost always constantly working. The brief moments mean more. Unlike Planeptune," I tease, and she shrugs innocently.

"I have _no idea_ what you mean. We're always working, too. We're like, _super_ serious. The most serious. No one is more serious than we are."

I snort, shaking my head. "You barely even know the word."

"Do too! 'Noire is too serious, period.'"

"That's cheating, and I'm not _that_ serious. I just take my work… damn it, you got me there."

She laughs, nodding. "I'm the ultimate detective, Neppy Kudo."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh. Look alive, 'greatest detective,' we're almost there," I remark sardonically, motioning to the café. It's rather pretty – a bright reddish-purple, arched cloth overhang leading into a brown-and-white brick building. It has a plentiful number of windows along both sides, and I can easily see quite a lot of lighting in the shape of flowers hanging from inside the windows, with a decent amount of commotion going on both inside and out. "Would you want to stay inside, or relax outside?" I ask, glancing over at her. She seems distracted by something, though I can't tell what since her eyes immediately flick back to look over at me, and she shrugs.

"I'm okay with either, though, you'd probably not see as many dresses and different outfits if we stayed outside, huh?" she answers, and I blink. "What's with that look?"

"Neptune… are you logically intelligent?" I inquire, chuckling as she immediately reacts and tries to retort. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Alright, thanks for the reminder. Let's head inside, then."

"Mm!"

We continue toward the entrance, and she grabs the door to open for both of us. I curtsy with a smirk, and she snorts before we enter, our presences immediately being picked up on by the residents currently dining here. The waitresses exchange low murmurs, their expressions somewhat concerned, but what I presume to be the owner seems unfazed as she quickly comes over herself to direct us to a table.

"Hello, hello! Welcome to the Kitten House Café! It's our pleasure to serve you, nya!~" she says without the slightest hesitation, and Neptune and I exchange surprised looks. "How may we help you, today, Ladies Black and Purple Heart? Table for two?~"

I nod. "That'd be appreciated," I answer, and she bows before leading us with two menus nestled in her arm. Walking past various tables, I notice how colorful the food seems to be, and notice how frilly most of the girls in this establishment are. The uniforms are really well-made, and the waitresses are all in various shapes and sizes – it's really rather adorable. As we sit down, she sets the menus before us before briefly excusing herself.

"Wow, she's really calm, compared to everyone else here. I didn't think people would recognize me, but I guess being around you magnified my image, huh?" Neptune remarks, and I sigh, nodding. "Must be tough, huh? That's why I don't mind Planeptune's atmosphere – people don't really mind if I'm around or not."

"I don't think that that's a good thing," I respond, sighing again. "I'd prefer to be treated a bit more normally, but everyone has this strange professional aura when I'm around."

"Maybe because you're super intimidating to normal people? Ah, that looks like a fun drink!" she says, already having been browsing the menu. "What do you think of it? It's a pretty blue color."

I smirk. "If color's all that matters, I ought to introduce you to a few companies that are dabbling in new marketing schemes for their drinks. They might appreciate that attitude," I chuckle, checking them out now myself. "Though, you're right – that really _is_ a pretty blue. I kind of like that pink one, though."

"Eh? But it's not colorful enough! Simply put, they could go pinker!"

"But that's not… eh, maybe you're right. It's still nice."

We go back and forth for a couple more minutes before the girl from before reappears, bowing. "Hello again, Ladies Heart. My name is Choco – I'm the owner here!~ What may I get you both to drink?" she asks, pulling out a small pad followed by a pen. Now that she's up close, that uniform is… so adorable!

"I'll go with this one," I say, gesturing to the pink drink from before, while Neptune happily points to the blue one from before. She nods, smiling, before excusing herself again. "Thank you, by the way," I say as she turns to leave, and she just simply beams.

"Their outfits are pretty snazzy," Neptune remarks, her eyes traveling over the café's interior. "I like your styles better, but they're not bad as a basis. I could definitely see you as a maid like these ones, maybe even with the ears.~"

I grumble, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Maybe I should try on one of my outfits and get myself a cat-ear headband sometime… "I agree that they're wonderful, honestly. People can be so creative."

"Mm! Totally got you there. Also…," she pauses, hesitating for a moment. I tilt my head curiously. "What are you doing after this?"

"I'll probably walk around a little more, and then head back to…"

"Unacceptable! Noire, I'm dragging you to the party today, then!"

"…There's a party?" I ask, somewhat confused.

" _Now_ there will be!" she retorts, pumping her fist into the air. "Or my name isn't Neptune!"

"…Huh, got it. I suppose I'll find time, since we're ahead of schedule with things, anyway," I grumble, somewhat pleased at the turn of events. I didn't really _want_ to work Christmas anyway, but I wasn't going to be the first one to ask to hang out. "When?"

"How about when we're done here? I'll shoot a message to Nep Jr., Blanc and Vert, too, if you want?"

"Sounds alright, I don't really know if I'd be okay with a massive party besides everyone, anyway. It'd be… a little too crowded."

"Noire's an introvert?~"

"A-am not. I'm just… I like exclusive events."

"Intro~, vert~," she teases, and I roll my eyes. Still the same pain in the butt as usual.

Eventually, our drinks arrive, and I raise my eyebrows. It's pinker than the pictures, and the other drink seems a lot lighter blue than what they advertised. I'm not sure if it's false advertising, or if they worked harder for us. Did they overhear us? I'd feel terrible.

After a few minutes, we also place orders for a couple small dessert-like treats, and the owner disappears again. Watching Neptune eye her glass with blissful happiness, I shake my head at the small child sharing my table while I begin drinking my brilliant pink haze. It's sweet, and kind of fruity – pleasant; I'd almost feel I'd find this in Planeptune, instead of Lastation. Still, this is nice.

"…Urk! Noiiire…," she whispers after sipping from her glass. "It's… kind of sour! What's yours like?" she says, suddenly leaning over the table to steal my straw, sipping from it, much to my surprised horror. Her eyes light up, and she smiles. "Ooh! That's so sweet!"

"N-Neptune, that's my straw!" I exclaim, and she shrugs. "Aren't you going to drink your own?!" I grumble, and she shrugs again. "Uuugh… fine, just give me the drink if that's the case. I… guess you can drink mine now," I say, sliding the drink toward her. She grins contentedly, withdrawing her straw to set it into my drink, and I blink. "Uh?"

"Just use your straw, duh. Isn't that obvious?" she says with a slight mocking tone in her voice, and I stare at her in wonder.

I withdraw my straw and add it to her drink, staring at it for a few minutes. Does she not see why this is kind of embarrassing? I glance up, but she's just humming softly while drinking away, and I mutter small grumblings about her before finally yielding to drinking my drink as casually as possible. Stupid Neptune.

As the food arrives, we both stare on with awe at how pretty it all looks – sweet, fluffy, and colorful; the epitome of 'cute' dessert. Both dishes are mini-one-piece snacks, so we pick off one another's plates, munching quietly.

"Hey, Noire," Neptune says while chewing, eyeing the drinks. "What should we do for a party, anyway?"

I snort, shaking my head while shrugging. "You just now thought of that? What are you, spontaneously dumb?"

"That's mean; and when I went _so_ far to invite you…," she teases back, grinning. "Should we do games, or try and host something with food and drinks and stuff?"

"Drinks, like alcohol or just the usual stuff?" I counter, and she raises her eyebrows.

"Alcohol? But, like, can we even get drunk?"

"I don't know; haven't tried. I don't know if Christmas is the best time to find out, though. What if Blanc and Vert kill each other?"

She chuckles while eating a truffle. "That might kinda' funny to watch though. Has Lastation released any large-scale co-op or battle games recently?"

"A couple. They're not the biggest titles, but I know the companies and Uni said they played well. We have various test copies lying around somewhere, though they're the shooter kinds."

"Hmm… Blanc's not into those, and I'm into the more retro stuff, but it's not bad I guess. I saw Lowee released some new party games, but… those are… like…"

"Interactive? With a room full of CPUs and competitive faces? Yeah, that might be a little extreme."

"Yeaaah… I wonder if there's options to just use controllers? We could do 4-person and just alternate, like we usually do," she suggests, stirring her drink with her straw. Well, mine, but, technically _her_ drink now.

"We sometimes get a little high-strung, but that might not be too bad. _If_ we can all remain amicable."

"I'm up for it if you guys are!"

"Sounds good; we can also grab some of those test-copies from my Basilicom before we head over. Which Basilicom would we head to?" I ask, tilting my head. "Definitely not Lowee, but which one sounds good today?"

"We could do yours?" she suggests again, her bright eyes sparkling curiously.

"I'd rather… not… be in my Basilicom all day again. Truthfully."

"Aaah… getting a bit stir-crazy, eh? Leave it to Neppy. Lemme' shoot them messages and ask for ideas. Where's your sister?" she asks, flipping her phone open to begin typing up a storm. She's a lot faster and more informal than I am, so I let her handle it entirely.

"I don't really know. Maybe with Nepgear?"

"Probably," she says flatly, pausing for a few minutes. "What d'ya' think they do all the time?"

"…Hang out?"

"Y'think so?"

"We're hanging out at the moment, too. Maybe they also brought Ram and Rom along?"

"…Huh, that's a good point."

I feel like I might've missed something there, but I can't be too sure. Is she implying Uni and Nepgear have something they're not telling us? But they're both such dependent little girls, I can't see it. Or am I overthinking it? Now I'm all confused.

"Aaaand, sent! Now, we wait. You gonna' finish those truffles?" she inquires, already swiping another three to throw into her mouth. I blink, narrowing my eyes.

"I thought about it, but I guess you can, instead. I guess."

"Hey, don't be like that! A growing Neptune has to eat!" she replies, smiling proudly with her cheeks puffed out. Usually that'd probably sound unintelligible, but I've known her so long, I'm accustomed to this.

"You aren't growing anymore, though. None of us are – we're CPUs. Dork."

"Then am I destined to be a little girl forever?! But I'd be such a sexy girl as I grow up!"

"What if you just grew up to look like Nepgear?" I counter, and she shakes her head with a haughty laugh.

"Silly, silly Noire. I'd _definitely_ be at least as shapely as you are!" she answers proudly, patting her chest with pride.

"…Uh-huh. Too bad that won't happen," I retort with a smirk, watching her expression grow sulky as she pouts at me. I almost feel bad.

Then, she suddenly grins. "' _Too bad_ ,' huh? Why? Would you like to see me all womanly and mature?~" she says with a low tone, and I suddenly stiffen and vehemently shake my head.

"N-no! I don't care either way! Don't make that out to be anything, either!" I say, trying to remove the idea of a voluptuous Neptune from my mind. It wouldn't ever happen anyway, so thinking about it is…! Ugh, why am I even fretting so much? I don't think of her like that… I think.

We spend the next half-hour quietly lounging, with the owner coming back to check on us now and then, the waitresses and patrons changing but all always murmuring about us. I find myself somewhat embarrassed to be seen out at all, let alone with Neptune, though I don't let this discourage me too much. Even _I_ get breaks now and then.

Neptune's phone lights up, playing a… familiar jingle. I can't put my finger on it, but I know I've heard it somewhere. It's… hmm…

She flips it open, grinning. "We've got confirmation from Vert, oh! And now, Blanc! Nep Jr. has still yet to respond."

I frown, finally grabbing my phone, opening it to the contact list. Selecting Uni's number, I call her, waiting as the phone rings quietly. Once… twice… thrice… Slight static. She picked up!

"…Eh… Shut up! It's my sister! Uhm, uh, what's up, big sister? You almost never call."

"Hey, Uni. Calling to check on you – did I catch you at a bad time?"

"N-no! Not at all! I'm just being… dragged around against my will. Yeah. Hey! Stop that!" she shouts, and I hear something falling over from somewhere in her vicinity. "Ah, crap! Look what you did! Um… was that it, big sister?"

"No, are you with Nepgear?"

"Y-yeah. And Rom and Ram. We were just hanging out for a few minutes, I'm uh… I'll…"

"Heyyyyy, Uniiiii!~" Neptune calls out from beside me, causing both Uni and I – noticeable by the sudden yelp on the other line – to jump. "Are ya' taking care of Nep Jr.?!"

Uni mutters something, then sighs. "You too, huh?"

"Yup. We're going to be having a get-together for Christmas, it seems. Are you all joining us?"

"R-really? We're going out? Where will we be having it? Hey, fix that!"

"…I don't know, but you seem busy. I'll talk to you later, then, Uni."

"…N-no! Wai—!" she starts, but I hang up, sighing aloud.

"They seem preoccupied. I guess I'll talk to her later. Did you…?" I ask, noticing Neptune intently reading something on her phone. When I go to move over to check it, she suddenly reacts and closes the phone, her eyes shifting immediately onto me.

"We're all good to go! They'll said they'll head over to meet us in Vert's Basilicom, this time around, in a little bit. We have a bit more time, so do you want to head anywhere else?" she continues, completely unfazed. She smiles her usual goofy smile at me, and I sigh, feeling unmotivated to question her.

"I… guess I could go for actually looking for some new outfits. Do you want to go with me, or should we just head over? It'd take us some time to get on one of the ships to hop continents, anyway," I say, rising to my feet.

She raises a finger to her chin, humming curiously. "I think we have a little time, so we can go check out whatever you want! Lead the way, 'kay?" she answers, hopping to her feet as well, stretching while making a contented sound. "Mmmmm… that was comfortable. Good idea, Noire!"

"…Yeah. You're acting a little off, today, though," I say, finally somewhat perturbed.

"Huh?" she tilts her head to look at me, somewhat confused. "Whatcha' mean? I'm not doing anything different?"

"While we're a little more mellow than we used to be… you seem… doting, I want to say?" I try to explain, feeling awkward. The phrasing isn't really wondrous, but it gets the point across.

"What's that mean?" she inquires, and I pause.

"Well… you seem really… patient and interested in my hobbies, today. Usually you don't say anything and drag me along at your pace, but today…"

"Hey, I can be nice sometimes, too! I just felt like spending time, hanging out with you instead of making you hang out with me. It's really kind of relaxing, so, I'll see it through to the end. Getting to know my best friend's not a crime, right?" she points out, and I purse my lips but nod. She has me there, but I can't put my finger on it… this kind of feels like a… No, no, I'm overthinking it. I'm being kind of weird again. Brush that thought aside, Noire. Recompose. Aaaand… good. I think.

"…If you say so. Well, I'll leave the credits here for them, so let's get going," I continue, setting a small pile on the table. It's a bit more than what we ordered – or a lot, really – but it doesn't really matter. I'm not hurting for money, anyway. "Shall we?"

"Let's, m'Lady,~" she replies, overexaggerating a clumsy bow. I chuckle, shaking my head as we depart together, proceeding down the streets.

I gloss over the various stores, deciding against visiting the ones I regularly frequent – they can't have gotten too many things in that are fresh and new, so finding something I haven't heard of before might be good.

Neptune's humming softly, remaining close to my side. I hear people murmuring about us, though I can't make it out. It's kind of frustrating. Do we look awkward hanging out together? "Hey… Neptune, do we look out of place?"

"Hm?" she replies absentmindedly, immediately focusing on me. "Mmm… nah, I can't really figure out what they're saying, but everybody looks pretty happy for some reason. Maybe they think we look like the best of pals?"

I scratch my cheek, nodding. "Maybe. I'd just wonder what people have to say, but I guess it doesn't really matter, anyway. So, see anything interesting?"

"Hmm… I don't remember ever hearing you talk about that one, over there," she replies relatively quickly, gesturing to a rather large, recently-completed building on the right. It's greenish-grey brick on the outside, with various tall windows with multiple mannequins lined up inside them, on display. Each wears various colorful outfits – one in a green sundress, another in a purple tee and blue jeans, and a third in a hoodie. The fourth… is wearing a really cute Santa outfit.

"Oh…," I say without thinking, and Neptune raises an eyebrow, tracing my attention. She pauses, shooting me a grin – much to my dismay – before nodding. Obviously, she's decided on it. "…Well, let's check it out. I don't know it, so maybe I'll find something."

As we enter, I immediately find myself overcome with awe at just how many outfits are on display, and just how many are also stacked in neat piles at each of the various tables or on various clothing racks. It's almost overwhelming, actually, and it's all so colorful and pretty. Definitely, I have to _seriously_ explore every nook and cranny of the store. Neptune already seems to have disappeared – no doubt in search of that Santa outfit, though I don't really know whether she wants to get it for herself or will ask me about it. Regardless…

I hum happily as I sift through the endless mountains of new garb, dancing slightly to some catchy Christmas song playing over the loudspeaker. Already, about fifteen minutes since entering, my arm is buried beneath multiple layers of clothing, and I smile. I can't wait to try most of this on! I peer around for a dressing room, taking note of a females-only one on the far right. That probably means the male side is on the far left, but that has no relevance to me, so I ignore the notion to confirm this fact. Various pairs of colorful underwear catch my eye, too, but I can come by for those when I'm alone. Neptune might get the wrong idea.

Proceeding to the room, I hear the pitter-patter of someone following me. Looking over my shoulder, I notice Neptune – speak of the dolt and she shall come – trailing after me with an ample pile of clothing in her arms as well. She beams at me, and I smile back. She's kind of cute like that; she _actually_ looks like a normal girl, for once.

"Are you trying all those on?" I ask with interest, and she shakes her head. "Huh? Then why do you…? Do you just take them if they're your size?"

She shakes her head again. "I have a few things here, but I found stuff that I thought might be _really_ cute on you, so I had to grab it and bring it to you."

 _Blush._ "W-what? But I'm…"

"Just, humor me! Please?" she requests with a pleading look, and I sigh and nod. If she thinks so, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

"This better not be a joke. Here, set them in here with my pile," I say, opening the changing room door for her to set them down. She divides her pile immensely, setting them aside before setting hers off into another room. I stare in awe at the eight or nine things she found for me, and glance over at her.

"Lemme' see them, too! I'll give ya' my thoughts, 'kay?~" she states, grinning.

"I… might not... that's embarrassing, so…"

"Hey, don't worry, don't worry! We're both girls, Noire.~"

"…Uuuugh… fine."

The next… however long, passes by pretty slowly for me – but probably rather quickly in reality. I change into various styles of outfits – casual, punk, semi-cosplay, goth, fancy, etc. – appearing before Neptune over and over. She gives me honest opinions on each one, her eyes always intently scrutinizing me, and I find myself a lot more self-conscious than ever before. It's… actually kind of agonizing. But, weeding out at least sixty percent of the outfits, I finally begin delving into her pile, which turns out to be…

"…Neptune, these are all Santa outfits," I remark, and I hear her make an affirming sound from the other side of the door. "Um…"

"We're going to a Christmas party, right? Y'gotta' look the part.~ Don't worry, Noire, I've also got a few. We'll go, both dressed up!" she tries to assure me, and I grumble. She's _definitely_ not being herself. Or I'm just _way_ more paranoid than usual.

I notice immediately that the first few are on the skimpier side, and I glare daggers at Neptune while blushing scarlet – though she seems to genuinely like them, even if she agrees that they don't fit me. Is she getting some weird kicks out of this? I begin looking around for a camera somewhere that she might've hidden, wondering if this is a long-running joke. No such luck. After this strange revelation, I begin to see that the next couple are more classical, and far too stuffy. She agrees, saying that I don't need to be ashamed of a _little_ bit more skin, since it's just all of our friends. I don't buy it, but I give in.

This next one… long red stockings with fuzzy lining at the top, with a skirt down to my mid-thigh – which is a little much for me, but better than what she had me try earlier – made of extremely fuzzy red material, lined with even fuzzier, fluffy white material at the bottom and top. It tickles my stomach, where it sits, though it's comfortable and easy to move in – and is weighty enough not to flip at every single movement I make. Then, there's a thin, red silk undershirt that covers my entire torso and shoulders, though doesn't really _cover_ my skin. I'm thankful that I wear thick enough bras on this day. Past this, there's an adorable little overcoat that covers the tops of my arms, my neck and chest, cutting off slightly above my belly button, lined with really soft fluff. It's of the same consistency and materials as the skirt, and comes with matching red gloves that come just shy of my elbows, and little red shoes with bells attached that jingle endlessly. I twirl in the mirror a few times, utterly enthralled – it's _adorable_. The one underneath it, before I go show Neptune… is the plain one I saw in the display window. It's not the same, now that I see myself in this.

"Hey… Neptune, I think I really like this one," I say, exiting my room, walking out and to the left to knock on the door to hers. It swings open, revealing her in a slightly different version of what I've got – or rather, the undershirt is thicker, but the overcoat is shorter and doesn't close. It's not a _huge_ difference, but… "You really wear that well," I remark, thinking she looks really cute. "I really like that."

She smiles, nodding. "Ya' look great too, Noire. I thought that one would be the one, so I chose well! I'm just so great.~"

I roll my eyes, returning her smile. "Let's head out, then? I'll pay for this stuff, we can return the others, and then drop them off at my Basilicom before we go meet the others. Is that alright?" I say, humming happily. Today's going really nicely, even if I didn't expect it to be this way – nor Neptune to behave like this, but I can say it's really pleasant.

She nods, helping me proceed quickly through the checkout counter. Turns out that these weren't the cheapest outfits, but I decide it's worth it. The cashier absolutely fawns over us, which turns out to be a _lot_ more embarrassing than I first thought, but… I'll tolerate it. It's only one day of the year, anyway. Glancing over, I notice Neptune's focusing seriously on her phone again, and frown.

"Is… something wrong?" I ask, and she suddenly jumps, plastering her eyes on me again – that occasional weird look in them, like before – before she shakes her head.

"Nah, just, uh, they're all apparently running late. We have a bit more time."

"…Oh, I guess that's fine. It's… uh, not that big of a deal, anyway," I say, biting back the weird feeling welling up in my stomach. It's kind of disappointing, but the way she's acting is even more bizarre. My chest feels a little tight. "Well… let's drop this stuff off, and then we can figure out what next. Are they alright?"

"Mm, they're perfectly fine. Things are just not going like expected."

"…Like expected?"

She freezes, her eyes darting to various places as we exit the store. "Um, uh… yeah. I was hoping they'd all be getting to Leanbox faster than…"

"Neptune, is something going on?" I ask, feeling a sudden pang of loneliness. "Do you guys not trust me enough to tell me if something's happening?"

Her head immediately rises to make eye contact with me as she motions frantically. "No, uh, no! That's not what's wrong, Noire! No one's in trouble or anything, they're just busy, so…!"

"…I see. Well, that happens."

We walk along in silence now as I try to keep my eyes off her. I suddenly feel very out of place. Think, Noire – did I overlook anything? I can't have. I don't recall any signs… Wait, Uni was arguing with someone, really busy with something too. Do she and Neptune know something that I don't?

"…Did Nepgear respond yet?" I ask, suddenly suspicious.

"Huh? No, not yet. She's still not answering."

"Try calling her? She's, out of all of our sisters, the quickest to respond. She's extremely dutiful, so if she's not responding…"

Neptune sighs, shaking her head. "I'm sure she's fine. If Uni responded, then I'm not too worried about Nep Jr."

"Neptune, are you hiding something from me?"

"…Look, Noire, it's nothing bad."

"But you are."

"…You'll see soon, so…"

"I'm irritated. Fess up."

"…Nngh. Um, I'll tell you when we get to the Basilicom, alright?" she says tiredly, and I sigh in frustration.

"…Fine."

The rest of the walk is agonizingly uncomfortable, my emotions starting to fume over the turn of events. What, were they all working on something? Is Neptune only hanging out with me to keep me from finding out? Did I think today was something meaningful? These thoughts fill my head over and over, and I find myself feeling very unhappy, now.

Neptune, of course, tries to come up with various comments or conversation, though I can't help but completely ignore her. She sighs, giving up after however long, opening her phone to stare at it with a furrowed, unhappy look of her own.

"…Ugh," she mutters, "how slow can they be?"

Are they setting up something? Am I overthinking it? Are they setting up the party, or something? I mean, that _sort of_ makes sense, but why keep it a secret? Why deal with this in such a roundabout method? Did they pick Neptune to keep me away, _knowing_ I felt closer to her and wouldn't pick up on it? If so, I think what bothers me the most is that she lied about wanting to hang out with me. Maybe they just kicked her out of the preparations because she was being too… rambunctious?

We arrive at the Basilicom, and I ignore the guards as they attempt to do their greetings. I proceed directly to my personal quarters, setting the bags on one of the many wardrobes in my room, sighing as I kick off my shoes and sit on my bed. I glare at Neptune as she deposits her bags, awkwardly joining me on my right toward the foot of the bed, as she sighs.

"Talk."

She shoots me an unreadable look, sighing again. "Our sisters and Vert decided they'd get involved in making up a huge party for all of us – so, since Nepgear is terrible at hiding things, I figured it out pretty quickly. Blanc doesn't know, yet, either, but she's held up by the blizzard, and Iffy and Compa are both busy with work, so preparations down in Leanbox are… going very slowly. I was told to keep it a secret, and told to keep out of their way, so I decided to spend the day hanging around with you, since I felt sort of lonely, and…"

"Did you, though?" I say flatly, sighing. Her story makes sense, being very typical of our sisters _and_ Neptune herself, but that still doesn't make me feel somewhat hurt. "If you were just bored and had nothing else to do, I'd rather you didn't just…"

"No, that's the thing though!" Neptune shouts back, much to my surprise. She suddenly leans closer to me, her face more serious than I've ever seen before, and I find myself caught off-guard. "It's not like I had anything else to do, yeah, but that doesn't mean I didn't want to hang out with you, Noire!"

"…Okay, that's…"

"I had a lot of fun today," she says, smiling softly, a light red beginning to appear on her face as she leans in further. I try to lean back, feeling somewhat flustered by how close she is, until I eventually end up falling over. She scoots closer, climbing on top of me as she sighs. "I enjoyed spending time with you; it's really nice to see the side of you I've never really seen." I feel myself flush red as she straddles me, and I try to agree with her, but she continues. "I don't really get it, but lately, I've been thinking about ya' more, and it's weird. I started wondering about stuff I never really thought about before, and…," she trails off, putting an arm on either side of my head. I gulp. "I can't figure out this weird feeling, and it only really calms down when I'm with you like this. It's annoying!"

"I… N-Neptune, it's… o-okay, um…"

"I… we have awhile, Noire. Can you help me figure things out?" she says slowly, her face reddening more than ever before. My mind melts a little at this sight – the revelation that even _Neptune_ can become scarlet with blush – as she leans in closer to me, trembling slightly. "I… need to figure stuff out. Can you…?"

"…Eh? I mean… uh…"

"I know I'm being weird, but… I have this sudden urge to…"

"N-Neptune, I… mmh?!"

The last thing I can recall is just how warm her lips are.

* * *

 **I. Regret. Nothing.**

 **Besides that this is four months too late. But eh.**

 **I'm content. I even felt it flowed really well, despite being started before I went to bed last night, and only being completed now, twelve hours later, after various interruptions and long breaks from it.**

 **The Superdimension is still my favorite to write from. The Hyperdimension is okay. The four continents offer a lot more variety than one giant landmass and a few islands. But y'know, details.**

 **I'm tired, so I'm gonna' go sleep before I embark on the next one - I'll be back up in a few hours for the next project. Prepare yourselves, you glorious people. I love you all.~**

Tainted out!~


	27. Shot 27! Claimed

**Hello, friends and acquaintances! Tainted here with yet another update, albeit quite a bit briefer this time. I started this an hour and a half ago, and just finished now, so technically it went a lot faster and went better than expected - I didn't have as much to drag out, but I _think_ it flowed well.**

 **Purple and Black goodness. HDD forms need love, too! Stop human-form-love only! Protest! Give Black Heart and Purple Heart love, too!**

 **Yes sir! I present you... this!**

 **...It'll do.**

* * *

I parry, wincing as I narrowly scrape her blade off mine, instinctively sweeping a leg out in an attempt to ward her off – the action successful, as she leaps backward, situating her stance once more. I straighten my posture as well, clicking my tongue. I'm not making any ground – like _always_ – and she's not either. We're just constantly going back and forth, like we have been for the last… Goddess, how long have we been doing this? I'm not sure where the other two are, but as I watch her raise her purple katana in preparation for another attack, I slowly poise my heftier long-blade for defense. She's probably going to…!

"You won't win, Purple Heart!" I shout as she dashes in, making a leftwards curve. She wants to take on my stronger arm directly? Is this a battle of endurance? I block her blade, urging my body forward – a seemingly intelligent idea, as she suddenly gasps, her balance thrown off for an instant. This brief opening is more than enough, however, as I push my weapon against hers, knocking them out of our hands as they clatter lifelessly beside us as I tackle her.

We struggle and wrestle for a few minutes, her hands at my wrists as I try to strike at her, her legs trapped under mine, though she seems to be able to fend me off – an agitating discovery, meaning that she's slightly bigger than me somehow… Geh. It's probably most prominently _there._ Irritating. I won't lose anymore!

"G… Get off me, Black Heart! You can't overpower me!"

"Shut up! Just because you're a bit bigger, I won't lose! Not again! This'll be the day!" I counter, growling in annoyance. Our bodies scrape against one another, which surprisingly tells me that she's rather warm and soft – but that doesn't matter. I need to… get… a hit in! "Just give up and let me hit you 'till you die, already!"

"Never!" she shouts, suddenly throwing her bodyweight under my left leg, causing me to tumble. "…Hah!"

"…Aah!" I exclaim as she manages to reverse the situation, pinning my lower body down. I click my tongue in agitation, instinctively reaching for my blade.

"Oh, no you won't!" she responds immediately, shoving our weapons away as she grabs my hand, pinning it above my head. I snarl, lobbing my free fist at anywhere I can hit her, and it connects – against her shoulder. She winces, but doesn't seem fazed enough as she grabs my other hand, and we continue wrestling.

I lean forward, trying to bite at her, but it doesn't seem to work well enough – she's maintaining an adequate distance, and I can't move forward enough due to my arm being in an awkward position. Damn it! "Let… me… go! I'll just bite you and beat the crap out of you!"

"As if _anyone_ would accept those terms!" she counters, suddenly pressing down on me. I lose my balance, gasping as I fall onto my back again as she takes the initiative, pinning my other arm above me now, as well. "And now, that's checkmate!"

"In your dreams!" I snarl, putting all my effort into my lower body now. Come _on_! It's not like… she's _that_ much bigger than me! Why can't I break free?!

Surprisingly, we both just sit there for a few minutes, just catching our breath. Our eyes remain locked, though I can't find a way to break her concentration long enough to escape. Come on, think, Black Heart… there has to be _something…_ You've gotten out of worse situations before… This is _Purple Heart_ , not some mindless beast. She has weaknesses too…

…Hmm… I could try _that_ , but… with her…? My first…? Ugh, but if I don't, I'm at a complete disadvantage. And if the other two arrive, while we're both in an unfavorable position, she could probably dodge them much easier than I would – I'd _definitely_ get wounded if not killed. I'll have to…

"…Hey, Black Heart…," she suddenly starts, and I snap out of my thoughts, glaring at her – just _what_ could she want? "…You know…"

"What, Purple Heart? I'm not backing down," I state flatly, conveying my meaning. I won't surrender to the likes of her, even if it kills me. She's the only one that can compete with me – the only threat – and I won't let _anyone_ stand above me. "You… rrrgh, might have the upper hand now, but I'll…"

"…You're cute when you're below me, you know?" she remarks softly, and I suddenly find myself off-guard, exclaiming a confused noise, a slight red brushing over my cheeks.

"W- _what_ the hell are you saying, you irritating woman?! Get off me and stop spouting… nonsense!" I blurt out, struggling again. She's playing mind games, Black Heart. Steady yourself. Steady yourself. She… didn't mean it. Focus. Wait… I can… maybe use this as a way to break free? But… it's so inappropriate. Rrgh. Anything to win.

"It's not nonsense," she whispers softly, her emotionless face suddenly curling upward into a slight smile, and I feel a sharp pang in my heart. Damn it! Don't let her get into your head! "You're… really, truly beautiful up close."

…Nngh. Okay, let's… try to play along. I sigh in frustration, turning my head, allowing my genuine embarrassment to do some of my acting for me. "S-shut up. You're… not too bad yourself, I guess. I'm far prettier, but you… have a pleasant womanly charm to you, I suppose…"

She grins, leaning slightly closer to me, and I feel my nerves reacting in a strange way. Too close, too close! "Ohh?~ You think so?" she whispers into my ear, and I wince. Th-that's not fair! How did she learn that my ears were sensitive?! "Thank you for the compliment, then.~"

"Rrgh… stop. Get… get away from there," I grumble, and she chuckles, leaning back again.

"So sensitive, who knew the great Black Heart had a thing for her ears,~" she sings, and I glare at her. Who _is_ this on top of me? Purple Heart… is skillful and warlike, but I never thought she was… like _this_. Could… Celestia be invaded by an impostor? Impossible. So then, that means the woman before me… truly is who she is.

This discovery is… troublesome. This woman is dangerous, in more ways than one, now.

"W-why do you even care? We're enemies," I mutter, sighing in frustration. She still has me utterly pinned, which is annoying in itself. She can play games with my emotions while still trapping me? Maybe… _that_ won't be enough. I didn't want to go further than I had to, but… I need to escape.

"Are we?~" she asks with interest, her face leaning in close. "You come after me every day, every time we see one another. You even ignore the other two. I tend to do the same. Maybe it's just for… appearances?~" she suggests, suddenly licking my cheek. I shiver, shifting my head away from her.

"N-no! Don't get my intentions wrong! You're the only threat, so I've decided… Rrng. S-stop that!"

"Make me,~" she teases, chuckling. "Oh wait, you can't. You're rather cute when you can't have your way. I always had a feeling, but, this just confirms it.~"

"S-shut up! You're… so annoying!" I retort, unable to do anything but suffer her playful attitude. I didn't think she was capable of these kinds of things, and they're… being said so shamelessly. What a pain in the ass! Ah, wait… "…Y-you do really have a b-beautiful… f-face, though…," I remark shakily, exhaling harshly. How can she say this like it's nothing? Is this a competition to see who can be womanlier? If that's the case… I can do this, then. "Your lips are so… soft-looking, and you have wonderful eyes."

Her face reddens slightly, yet she exhales with an unhappy sigh. Did I overdo it? "Black Heart, Black Heart, Black Heart. You're thinking of this as a competition now, aren't you?" she points out flatly, and I blink. "It isn't. I'm just speaking from my heart. Be more honest, my adorable little rival."

I exhale in shaken annoyance, only now beginning to notice the… peculiar shape of her eyes. Where our eyes usually have that strange shape in the pupils, hers are… hearts. I gulp. I'm… not sure what to do, now. Something's welling up inside me, and this strange feeling is getting worse. Urrgh. I shouldn't have thrown away my weapon.

"You know, I have no intentions of harming you, Black Heart. That's the opposite of anything I wish to do with you," she remarks with a wink, and I grumble, feeling my fluster surfacing outwardly now. Damn it! Stop saying such embarrassing things! "You're… my rather precious rival. Have you ever thought of it?" she says, a sad look in her eyes. I raise an eyebrow, wondering…

"What… do you mean?"

"If one of us were to die, what would the other do?" she inquires, locking eyes with me. "What comes _after_ we've put one another down?"

"…That's… obvious. I'd be the strongest, so then I can…," I trail off, hesitating. Wait a minute, when she's gone… I'd have nothing stopping me from becoming the true Goddess, but… "I… can… fulfill my duty…"

"But then what? You'd have no one who remotely understands you, and after Green Heart and White Heart fall, there would be no other challenges."

"…So? Isn't that the goal?"

Her face suddenly winces, and she leans in… too close, too close, too close! "No! If you disappeared, I'd… lose my motivation…"

"…Rgh. Stop saying things like that. You're getting… into my head. I don't… like mind games."

"But they aren't!" she exclaims, burying her face in my ear, and I gasp and yelp as she whispers again. "I don't want you to go anywhere, Black Heart. We'll live forever… so why not…"

"Nnh… stop… not there…" This… is bad… My mind… is…

"Why can't we just… spend it together…?" she asks sadly, her tongue running over my ear. I shake, letting out irritating sounds I never wanted to make, all at the behest of… her. "I don't… mind if we keep up appearances, but… Please…"

"R… Damn it… you're… Stop…! Stop… please…," I say, my body getting weaker. The urge to resist is fading, and my mind's all fuzzy. This… isn't how… I can let it end… She'll just… "You'll… kill me when I… submit. Get… off me!" I manage out, pushing against her now – and this time, it's surprisingly effective, as she yelps and tumbles over, giving me _just_ enough time to roll away, jumping to my feet.

"…Nnno! Don't… don't go!" she pleads, and I wince. The feeling in my heart's getting worse. Did I get poisoned? She stands up, opening her arms, raising her hands – the sign of surrender. My eyes widen, staring at this almost pathetic Purple Heart before me. "I'll… do anything to show you my conviction. Don't run. Please."

I sigh shakily, my hand unconsciously running through my hair – an old habit for when I'm embarrassed and stressed out. I watch her, starting to feel a second emotion surging forward in my heart. Anger. Narrowing my eyes, I point toward her, my emotions regulating a little. "I don't like seeing you pathetic and begging. That isn't the you that I have any interest in. If you want to… to show me anything, then show me by continuing to fight with me. I'll… consider things as we battle. Don't destroy the image I have of you, Purple Heart," I say harshly, walking toward my weapon. I suddenly don't feel any fear for getting attacked from behind by her, and instead notice she sighs unhappily, but nods, approaching to retrieve her blade as well.

"This… is the only way?" she asks, and I nod. She grumbles, picking up her katana, her eyes focused on me – the hearts remaining. They're… unnerving. "If… that's what it takes to make you _mine_ , then I'll do it. Prepare yourself – whenever you're ready, Black Heart."

"…That's more like it," I remark with a soft grin, feeling minutely more content. _This_ is more like the Purple Heart that I know – one that… I could… ugh, shake that off, shake that off. That's… it's not _too_ bad, at least… Enough, focus! "We'll fight for a bit longer – if the other two appear…"

"We'll fend them off and make a hasty retreat?" she suggests, and I nod with a frown. "That's fine, since they wouldn't be enough to defeat me even in a two-on-one scenario." I smile, somewhat pleased. _This_ is the woman that I respect as my rival. Not that… warm, sappy one. She _did_ smell rather nice, though… Ugh.

"Alright, Purple Heart – give me your best. I expect nothing less but a good fight as always. If you hold back, I _might_ kill you."

She scoffs, shaking her head. "You may try, my little Black Heart, but you won't ever succeed."

And once again, our struggle begins anew…

 **Later.**

I collapse against a tree, further into the thick forests of Celestia, watching her collapse beside me, the two of us panting. Some of the fear of death has departed from both of us, but it was still an utterly pleasant battle, and I can't truly complain. She gave it her all – and it ended in yet another draw. My body heaves with fatigue, and typically, her presence ought to send me into an adrenaline-fueled state of alarm, but now…

Her ample chest heaves with every breath, causing my face to redden as I watch it for a few moments until I divert my eyes further upward, watching the sweat trickle from her face, neck, and exposed collarbone…ish area. I ought to learn more medical terminology down in Lastation at some point, once again. But, the way it glistens on her body… I gulp. _I'll... do anything to show you my conviction._ Ah! Stop, stop, stop! That isn't the kind of thought I need!

Her face _is_ rather beautiful. Maybe I meant those words from before. She has such an elegant face, and her lips… look really inviting. Ugh. She got into my head, after all. What a pain in the ass. Though… seeing how her flowing purple hair emphasizes her face, I find myself enthralled. She really is… rather perfect.

I sigh, shaking my head. She rolls her head against the bark, eyeing me with curiosity. "Is… something, haah, wrong?"

"…No, not… wrong, I guess. I'm just… thinking, I… guess. I… really hate you, you know that?" I grumble, running my hands through my hair nervously. I can't think straight with her near me, now. This is stupid. "But… maybe I actually don't. Maybe… it's the opposite."

Her eyes suddenly light up, and she scoots closer, leaning in. I feel my face flush, but my eyes twitch in annoyance. Stop invading my personal space so easily, damn it. "You mean it?! Then…?"

"…I'll think about it some more, maybe after a nap. This area isn't either of their forte, so we should be safe for a little while. C'mere, give me your shoulder, you pain in the ass," I mutter, exhaling shakily as I lean my head against her, trying to look anywhere but at her. Especially with this… view. "…It's not fair, you're bigger than me."

She chuckles, her hand suddenly combing my hair. This feels… surprisingly nice. "I may be bigger, but I prefer how utterly perfect your proportions are. I feel a little… unbalanced."

"Balanced enough to keep me pinned while you tried molesting me," I grumble, and she smirks as she twists her body slightly to be able to use both hands in my hair. I sigh, letting it happen since she's not being rough and it seems to make her happy. "Just… don't do anything to me in my sleep, or I'll never forgive you."

"I wouldn't dream of it, my little Black Heart,~" she answers without hesitation, humming softly. I can't see her face, but maybe… I can place some faith in her, after all. I close my eyes slowly, drifting off, my mind, head, and technically my hair, full of _her_.

…I'll give it a try, I suppose.

* * *

I hum softly, watching her drift off as her breathing softens, and I feel a contented warmth spread over my heart. She's just so cute. Cute. Cute. Cute. Cute. I tug off my gloves, happily playing with her snowy hair as I nuzzle my face into her, sighing aloud. Finally, she's _mine_ , ehehehe. And now...

 _I'll never give you to anyone, my Black Heart...~_

* * *

 **Heh. Heh. Heh.**

 **Yandere Hearts are quite the pleasantly interesting ideas.  
**

I think this turned out well for a quick shot before I go tend to a couple things. I'll be back later to begin work on something else, but I figured I might as well start the day off right - and ended up with this.

Truthfully, though, all of my ideas end up taking huge turns with the plot about halfway through. I had a different intention for this, but ended with this result. I suppose it just means there'll be another shot similar to this at some point, but, it'll be noticeably different, too, since I never copy-paste old text to new shots. A personal rule. Think that's alright? Massive variations in older ideas, too, when I'm not feeling inspired to work on new ones?

I'll catch you all later. :D

Tainted out!~


	28. Shot 28! Coping Mechanism

**I finally did that idea with UNoire/mainNep, though, this turned out a _hell_ of a lot darker than I first expected. I'll give you this as fair warning - if you don't mind a bit of technical mind-break, NTR, and hardcore UNoire-bashing to achieve a pretty positive ending, then read on.**

 **I'll probably skim through it now, and post anything I have to say at the bottom. I still think it's an okay shot, even if I did skip through a couple things that could've been extended to... well, be darker, really, more than anything.**

 **I refuse to taint my vanilla yuri with too much darkness! Away with it! Begone!**

* * *

Lately, things have been really uncomfortable whenever I'm not around everyone else. And, that's not one of those statements to get harassed about 'being lonely' or whatever, but genuinely uncomfortable. No matter where I go, I get this… weird premonition that someone's following me, but I can't find them no matter how hard I try. I've asked my guards to double their security efforts, to notify me if _anyone_ is around, and so on and so forth – but there's been no clues as to what's going on. I asked Histoire about it at one point, but she just smiled sadly and shook her head, unable to tell me anything about it… which is unnerving, and frustrating, since I didn't manage to figure out anything by talking to her. A wasted trip. Ugh.

Plutia's been sleeping more recently, and things have been relatively quiet – Neptune's off… doing whatever, though it's not like I care too much what _that_ nitwit's doing. Though, it's disappointing that Plutia's so lazy lately… I kind of miss the lazy days we had together before all of _this_ weird stuff started. Multiple dimensions, an organization of lunatics, fighting with Lowee, and so on and so forth – with a strange, spiky-haired ball of irritating energy standing at the center of all of it.

Speaking of which, she's been staring at me more lately, and _that's_ weird, too. I get that I'm probably the prettiest woman she's ever met, and I still don't necessarily buy her story about knowing exact replicas of us from her world or whatever, but it's still discomforting, what with this current business going on.

It's come to my mind a few times that she might be involved in the stalking business that I'm troubled with, but that's impossible – she might be a handful, but she's not like _that_ , is she? No, I'm just paranoid and overthinking things.

I straighten another stack of papers on my desk, sighing. Tidying up keeps my mind off things, and staying busy helps my nerves, though I'm getting tired and bored of the same thing day in and day out. I don't like running around at Neptune's pace, but she _does_ at least bring some life to everything… sort of. Kind of. In a weird way. Maybe… I feel stupid for trying to defend that lazy dolt.

Setting the current stack off to the side, I glance over a few new sheets that had been placed for me to find – details regarding new machinery that might boost production and extend the amount of open space on our hard drives, which might give way to a _lot_ more leeway with game creation, and could achieve even higher notoriety and public support worldwide for Lastation. This should be useful – even if it saps a bit more life out of Planeptune, it'll hinder Lowee quite a bit more. Plutia, and technically Neptune, have a city of laidback, diehard loyalists – Lowee was simply the first giant, and now it crumbles for being outdated and isolated. We discovered a few spies coming to investigate our business, and got rid of them with ease, but I've yet to muster a counteroperation to breach their city, yet. Ugh.

Sitting down again, I quickly gloss over the documents, checking for clever wording or underhanded tactics – and find none, so I sign off and add them to the pile. Alright, now to get this to the main hub for processing and finalization, and in turn, I'll go make rounds at some of our special, sponsored factories. Maybe some fresh air will do me some good.

Stepping out of my office, I hear the sounds of pitter-pattering, quieted footsteps fleeing from sight, and I furrow my brow, sighing. Maybe one of the guards is just shy, or something – it always happens like this, and nothing has come of it for the past two weeks, so I'll just… ignore it like always. Unnerving, though.

I cough, clearing my throat as I proceed down the hall toward the front of the Basilicom, listening intently for the unknown person's movements – but nothing comes of it, and I find myself even more worried by this fact. At least if they followed me at a certain distance, I could eventually catch them, but like this, I'm not able to get a good feel for it. Are they doing this just to mess with me?

I feel a little afraid, I'll admit – it's not like there's too much out there that can defeat me, since I keep myself in shape and keep working at bettering my combative abilities, but that doesn't mean that a stranger stalking me doesn't get under my skin like anyone else. At times like this, I could even wish for Neptune's company, and _that's_ saying something.

I round the corner, and a few minutes later, the footsteps sound. They're not dumb. I glance over my shoulder, seeing nothing – besides a shadow from behind one of the pillars decorating the walls. Damn it, I installed those without considering how they could be used against me. I'm too superficial sometimes, and this experience has taught me that. I sigh, contemplating dumping my papers to pursue, but… I've tried that before, and they somehow managed to elude me. Scary – an intruder capable of outrunning a CPU. Maybe the Seven Sages are after me? I… should contemplate talking to Plutia about it later, maybe. Ah, but then I'd seem weak in front of her. Crap, crap, crap, can't do that. I'll just… have to figure it out myself.

What a pain in the ass.

Even despite this consistent turn of events, I make it to the main room unharmed – as always – and deliver my abundance of filled-out forms, earning wary smiles from my staff. I praise them for a job well done until now and ask them to have it done by tonight, to which they agree – like always – before I nod, turning on my heel to head outside.

In the city, even more-so than the Basilicom, I discover that I can't keep a tab on my stalker at all. Too many faces and places to hide. Though, I _did_ enlist a couple more new faces, unbeknownst to the Basilicom. Sorry, guys, but if you can't do your job – I'll have to. Stretching comfortably, I begin my journey of proceeding through my glorious city, yawning. I'm a little tired, since I've not been getting that great of sleep, either, but if I can root out the culprit, I suppose it's all worth it in the end. At least it's me, and not Plutia.

A sudden hand on my shoulder causes me to jump in horror, and I whirl around to notice… Neptune's soft, silly face before me, and I sigh aloud, wiping my forehead.

"Ugh, Neptune. You scared the hell out of me," I complain, taking a deep breath to recompose myself. Better her than anyone weird, and I doubt that the stranger will get any weird ideas with her around – she's useful for _something_ at least.

"Ah, ahahaha, sorry about that!" she exclaims, rubbing the back of her head. She grins at me, and I roll my eyes. "I figured I'd come play here since Plutie's out like a light and Histy's on the warpath again, so, yeah! You don't look too well – is everything okay?" she asks, leaning forward to eye me with genuine concern, and I lean back in slight embarrassment.

Ignore the closeness, Noire – she just has no sense of personal space. If you just calm down, the redness will go away… and… haah. "Things are… alright. I'm just… uh, having trouble sleeping lately. Couple of things going on that have kept me busy and focused, is all. No need to worry – you can't really help me anyway."

She nods slowly, crossing her arms. "I see, I see. Well, I'll walk with ya' for a bit, so if ya' want, I can at least listen and stuff. We're friends, right?"

I roll my eyes, nodding. "Yeah, I _suppose_ that's true, though it's more like I'm just not able to get rid of you."

Her expression falters for a minute, and I feel a sudden pang of guilt – I treat her rather poorly sometimes when I don't need to, don't I? Maybe I should apologize… "Hahaha, I guess you have a point. I'll work on it, maybe," she remarks, beaming again, and I blink in surprise. Maybe she just had something on her mind? I'll be nicer, but maybe I overthought it… "So, what's going on?"

"I've… just been having a couple problems with being followed by someone I don't know, lately," I admit slowly, frowning. She follows me side-by-side through town, seeming rather attentive. She must be really bored, huh? "I've got my Basilicom investigating it, but it's been keeping me up since I've had to devise new routines and methods for them to pursue the culprit myself, so…"

Her eyes widen, and she frowns too. "That's horrible! Creeps like that give me the heebie-jeebies. I can help ya' look, if ya' want? I don't have much to do lately, so I've got some free time if y'want, Noire."

I scratch my cheek, contemplating. She's being really nice, which is a pleasant change of pace, but I don't really want to trouble her. "I think I'll be fine, though, don't tell Plutia, alright? I don't want her worrying over nothing."

"Gotcha', gotcha'," she answers, nodding, while kicking the pavement with her feet. I smile softly, suddenly feeling like this girl _isn't_ all bad, for once. "So, what're ya' doing now, then?" she inquires, and I sigh.

"I'm taking some time away from filling out various work forms to make rounds with the factories and the like that work directly under the Basilicom. You're welcome to come, I guess, though it'll probably be boring and I'll have to keep you away at certain times for company secrets and all that."

She nods, shrugging. "That's fine, since I wouldn't be doing anything else really, anyway. Though, if ya' want my opinions on stuff, feel free to ask the 'ol Neppro!" she says, patting her chest confidently while puffing it out.

"Sure, sure," I say placatingly. I don't really believe I need any feedback from her, nor would it be all that useful, but I'll make a show of it to try and be nice. "It'll be good to get some raw advice on certain things, so I'll take it. Sound good?"

"Yeah! I'll do my best, alright?" she chirps, grinning, and I nod. She's… not _that_ bad, I guess. Or maybe I'm just missing Plutia more and more lately, so I'm getting desperate for company.

That reminds me, I haven't really heard anything weird going on behind us, but I haven't really conversed with any of my secret agents. I ought to put them to invading Lowee if they can shed any light on this matter, since they'll be relatively reliable. If not… no harm done, I guess, since I've got Neptune at the moment.

Speaking of which, I notice Neptune chatting merrily with one of the ones I hired recently – which is coincidental, I guess, since she's an outgoing dolt, after all. The two chatter away about some games, or something, though I'm not really paying as much attention to them as I am with heading in to speak to the factory owner ahead of us.

"Hey, Neptune, I'll be back soon, alright? I'll join that conversation of yours, too, when I get back, so," I end off vaguely, hoping that my agent will pick up on it.

"Mm! Go get 'em, Noire!~" Neptune cheers me on, pumping a fist for me. "Fighto~, fighto!~"

"…You're such a dolt," I remark, shaking my head as I disappear into the oil-reeking garage…

 **Later.**

Exiting, I use the rag that they offered me to wipe my hands and arms clean. I sort of smell like metal and grease now, but I guess I can just shower it off later. I've got a few more places to see to, anyway, so I'll just ignore it as best I can. Looking around, I notice my agent seems to be missing, but Neptune is just leaning on a small rail dividing the building's walk area from the main street, and she raises her head, shooting me her usual goofy smile. Huh, at least _one_ of them listened.

"Heya, heya, Noire! Did it go well—whoaaa, you smell like nothing but metal. Metal Gear Noire is your new hobby? Nep Jr. likes to tinker like that too, so…," she continues babbling on, though I sort of tune her out since it's just her usual happy garble. It doesn't merit enough for me, but I'll play along with nodding and smiling and agreeing where necessary, so she doesn't get sulky. Especially if my agent's gone, she's useful, at least…

We walk along toward the next destination, her jabber still going even as we arrive. I find myself impressed with how much she can chatter away aimlessly, though I cut her short. "Hey, hey, sorry about this, Neptune, but I gotta' check in here, too, alright? You can tell me more when I get back out."

"…Ah, alright! That's cool – go knock 'em dead… Noire!"

She seems a little off now, but her facial expression and body language doesn't mirror that. I nod, excusing myself politely as I leave her to wait while I check in with this batch of workers, next…

 **Later.**

I wince, rolling my shoulder. I shouldn't have tried to lift that by myself, but I didn't really expect it to be so awkwardly heavy. I should've known that even CPUs can struggle with weight, especially in these human forms. What a painful way to discover it…

Stopping, I look around, noticing Neptune, once again, waited for me, only a short distance away. She waves to me, jogging over as she beams at me, and I nod. Off we go, again, with a new conversation about her world starting, now. The way she describes it, it almost sounds believable, though I'm still going to remain skeptical – incredibly insane people can make _anything_ sound real if they go on about it long enough, and Histoire's… kind of hard to put all my faith in sometimes.

"…and, like, my world's Noire always has about eighteen projects always coming out – along with new games and a new console system constantly, and it always turns out kind of buggy since she doesn't feel comfortable enough asking everyone to help stress-test it, so it always ends up with _really_ dumb bugs! I remember, recently, the last one…," she rambles on, and I exhale through my nose to feign amusement.

"…That's really unbelievable, maybe you're just bad at picking up hints?" I say vaguely, my eyes traveling wherever as we walk. I don't _mean_ to be mean to her, nor be so cold, but it's just… "…Hm? Ah, that… Plutia'd look really cute in it… Don't you think, Nep… Eh?" I trail off, suddenly noticing she stopped a short distance away, her eyes downcast. I blink, tilting my head, wondering what suddenly just changed. I raise a hand to beckon to her, but multiple people get in the way, and once they disperse, she's already gone.

…Huh, well, at least it's quiet again. I suppose I'll see her later – it's not like she doesn't always bounce back, anyway. Ah, there's the next one. After I deal with this, I'll have a couple more stops, and then I should be able to call it a day. She managed to make a _bit_ of the day pass by faster, so I owe her my thanks whenever I next see her.

Well, if I think about it, at least.

 **Much later, toward the evening – the sun begins to set.**

I stretch, finally having finished my tasks for the day, yawning pleasantly. I've managed to get yet another series of productive corrections going in each of the locations, so our progress should see improvement by as soon as tomorrow. I'm just so wonderful, Plutia ought to really take a hint and ask me for advice sometime. She needs to learn more about being a good CPU, or her people will eventually shift out from underneath her, and then I'll be having to care for _two_ lazy CPUs as a result of it. Neptune could probably do more, too, even _if_ she actually is from another world.

Speaking of which, I really haven't seen her since before, when she disappeared. I hope she's alright – she's not a _bad_ person to be around. I'm just… not really interested, is all. Frankly, the sooner she can return, the better for all of us.

Rubbing my hands off on another rag they lent me, I whistle merrily as I walk through the crowds toward the Basilicom for the evening. I had no more problems with the stalker, and I got a lot done – what more can I ask for? I raise a finger to my cheek contemplatively, fishing out my phone from my skirt pocket as I flip it open, figuring I might as well contact that agent from before – I never managed to see the others, so maybe she, at least, saw something. Hitting the call button, I lift it to my ear, waiting for it to connect.

 _Riiing… riiing… riiing… Khhhk._

"There you are. Hello…"

"…Lady Noire! A… are you alright?!"

"…Huh?" Why wouldn't I be? "Of course, I've been fine. You disappeared even when I tried to tell you…"

"M-my Lady, I… I couldn't get to tell you… I'm so sorry…"

I have a bad feeling about this conversation. "Are you alright? Speak, did something happen?"

"…My Lady, how do you not know?"

"Eh?"

"…That woman you were talking with earlier…" Neptune? What about Neptune? Oh no, did something…? "She… intercepted me before I could say…" Wait a minute, what? "…She was the one following you out of the Basilicom. She… she had the most horrifying eyes I've ever seen… I… She told me to not say anything, o-or else… Ah, I've said too much, my Lady. P-please, be careful…" _Click._

…

I feel my blood run cold, the color draining from my face as I slowly move the phone away from my ear, staring at it in disbelief. A very cold feeling is spreading over me. And… panic. Maybe… she just saw things wrong? She's new to the job, and it's an important one, so maybe she's just overstressed. Though…

…No, I'm sure she misinterpreted things. Neptune's not like that, even _if_ she's weird. Hahahahah…

I just need to get home, and sleep. I'll ask her to monitor me again tomorrow, and we'll find a completely different person. Neptune just didn't want me to get the wrong impression. That's all.

Returning to the Basilicom, I can't help but shake the cold feeling, yet I'm sweating nervously now, as well. I sigh, greeting the guards as I wipe my brow, excusing myself to my room without much more conversation. Kicking off my boots, I lay back against my pillow, staring up at the ceiling for however long, trying to calm down.

It's definitely not what it seems. I'm overthinking things. I could just call…

…

I don't even have her number, do I?

It's not important. She's not the culprit. She talks so warmly of the me from her world, she wouldn't do anything to me…

…Right?

I close my eyes, opting to leave the lights on, tonight. I'll figure things out tomorrow morning, and I'll even find Neptune and talk about all of this. It'll be sorted out, and we'll move on, and that'll be that. Nothing bad will happen.

…Yeah, I can just sleep…

 **Late into the night.**

For whatever reason, I suddenly rouse from my sleep, sighing. It's been a fretful sleep, after all, and the cold feeling's still resting in my chest and stomach. Opening my eyes hazily, I stare into the darkness, raising my arm to rub at my forehead as I shift onto my back, yawning. I don't know what time it is, but it's got to be late, to be this dark…

…Dark? Wait a minute.

My eyes slowly open as I notice the room is, genuinely, pitch-black. It's hard to see, like usual, and something in my instincts tells me to _run_. But… I ignore it. It's probably… a bad light? But that'd only affect one, so…

Movement. There's movement somewhere ahead of me, and I inhale sharply. Someone's in here. Maybe a guard came by to check on me? Yeah…

I hear fast breathing as whoever it is approaches, and I calculate ways to handle this intruder. My blade is off in the other side of the room, but I can probably transform and fend them off long enough to retrieve it if they're dangerous, and a deranged civilian should be easy enough to deal with… I roll my eyes over to my desk, looking for my weapon… but it's missing.

Panic begins to set in as I quickly try to sit up, a hand suddenly shoving into my chest, wrapping around my throat as I'm thrust back down against the bed. I gasp aloud, my body already instinctively flailing in an attempt to fend off whoever it is, though I think I might already know, now. They sit on my thighs, pinning my lower body down, and their pressure on my neck is real – I could be choked to death if I'm not careful, and they know this fact as well as I do.

Dark purple eyes sit above me in the darkness, the usual sparkle in them diminished and almost non-existent, and for once, the outline of her face, especially in this darkness, terrifies me. Her other hand pushes both of mine above me, pinning them – though I submit without any fight, knowing that I'm fucked if I resist – as she laughs. It's not the comfortable kind, either – it's almost… insane.

" _Noire, Noire, Noiiire,~ you're being so good about this,"_ she says, leaning in to look me over, and I shiver. My blood's running colder than ever, and her voice is… it's not hers. It's nowhere near the bubbly warmth from before. It's… cold. Discomforting. " _Don't try to run away, okay? You're not the only one that'll be hurt._ " My eyes widen, interpreting her threat to be genuine. Is something going on with Plutia? Histoire?

"Wh… what're you doing, N…," I trail off, wincing as the hand around my neck tightens, cutting me off forcefully. I cough, my breathing being constricted so easily.

" _Hush, hush, don't speak like that. You might not be my Noire, but I'll teach you how to be. Don't worry, it won't be forever, okay? Once I figure out how to go home, you won't be necessary anymore, and I'll leave you alone. But, until then, you're mine, okay? Hehehehe."_

My eyes tremble slightly, finally beginning to understand without having to ask. It's already been over a year since she was here, hasn't it? The way she talks about her, the way she keeps trying to treat me, and how she reacts when I treat her the way I do… "You… Ack… love her…"

She laughs coldly, nodding. " _Of course I do. And I don't get to see her for a while, so let's make a deal. You fill some of her role, or try, since you'll never be as amazing as she is, and I'll leave your entire life intact, okay?~"_ she says, not really hiding the fact that she's threatening me more than anything. " _Plutia wouldn't believe you if you told her anyway, and I won't do anything to jeopardize your future. Just indulge me, and everything'll… be just fine. Understand,_ _ **Noire**_ _?_ "

I nod weakly, knowing that some of this might be my fault. I can feel a couple tears welling up in my eyes, but I won't back down. Not when it's like this – too much will be destroyed. For Plutia's sake, too… I'll… do it.

She grins, some of the insanity noticeably gone. I gulp as her grip on my neck loosens, her body shifting to wrap around mine. I shove away the uncomfortable pain in my heart, praying that she'll be quick.

Only that it never becomes… well, much of anything. She just… hugs me, her breathing still uncomfortable, but slowly beginning to sound more normal. More… Neptune. I look down at her, somewhat embarrassed at being held like this, noticing her eyes are still open wide, watching my every move. She's not trusting me.

"… _You're kind of warm. You smell nice,_ " she says after however long, and I chuckle nervously. She runs a hand through some of my hair, working to carefully untangle one of my two 'tails,' her breathing calming down considerably at this action. " _I won't… hurt you._ "

"…I… I know," I say uneasily, sighing shakily. My life has been threatened, as well as Plutia's, so I don't really believe her, but a part of me… actually does. "…It feels nice, I… guess."

She snorts, snuggling a bit closer to me, and I tense up for a moment before relaxing, realizing she wasn't upset by my statement. Thank the Goddess.

The night passes painfully slow, my entire being unable to grow tired – I'm still terrified, but… "Were you… the…"

" _What about it? I never hurt anyone._ "

I hesitate, contemplating talking about it. I might worsen the situation, but I can't help it. "You seemed… genuinely worried."

" _Of course I was. I don't hate you. You're like her. I could never hate you. Hurting you hurts me._ "

"…You mean that?" I could argue, but I can kind of tell that that'd just be being somewhat bitchy. I understood what she meant, for the most part.

" _...Yeah. I do._ "

We don't really talk much more until the sun begins to rise, and I only now notice that she opened the blinds for me without saying anything. When'd she do that?

I glance down at her again, wondering. "So… uh, I hate to ask."

" _What?_ " Her voice is softer, but still… weird. Progress, Noire. Progress.

"…What do you actually want from me?" I ask cautiously, hoping to avoid stepping on a landmine.

"… _Nothing too extreme. I'll be around at night, you'll let me enjoy how you look._ "

"…How I look?" I continue, feeling a strange emotion in my heart beginning to bud.

She tilts her head up, looking at me with stormy eyes. " _You'll never be like her, but you can at least seem like her physically, so I'll just… make due._ "

"Make due? I'm not that bad," I argue, a sense of jealousy truly building. She can't be _that_ much more amazing than me.

 _"Make due._ _ **My**_ _Noire's able to do anything."_

This exchange continues for another hour, until the morning sun now shines over Lastation. I wince at the light as she slowly rises from my bed, turning to depart. She pauses, setting down a can on my nightstand, and then she pulls my blade out from underneath my bed. She shoots me a look, and I tilt my head in confusion.

"Our secret," she says, rolling her shoulders. It sounds more normal than anything I've heard all night, and I nod. Watching as she leaves, for the first time, I notice…

She shines brilliantly in the sunlight.

…

Summarizing, the next day passes by completely normally – the stalker completely gone now. That can she set down turned out to be a hell of an energy drink, which helped me get myself moving again, and I set about things as normally as I could manage. I kept looking around to see if she was actually there, but she never was, and I found myself both relieved… and somewhat unhappy. Sighing, I credit it to being annoyed that the answer was right in front of me, and the person in question gave me so much stress unnecessarily, and just continue about my business.

Then, at night, as I lay down and turn off the lights, I wait… and sure enough, a half-hour later, she slips into my bed – silent as a mouse, which is now unsurprising; my guards didn't see anything last night nor in the morning of her departure, either. She nestles up against me, and while I'm a little uncomfortable at first, she quickly 'helps' me decide that submitting to tolerating anything again is in my best interest, and we spend the night debating my qualities versus my counterpart from her dimension. At first, I thought she was insane – and while I know now that she definitely is, I can no longer deny that she has to be from a different world. And the me there… I find myself competing with.

In her eyes, I'm not even a hundredth of the other me, and this fact frustrates me on multiple levels. We discuss the many projects the other me undertakes every day, and how she copes with Neptune, and how much kinder in general she is compared to me – a somewhat upsetting set of facts that she doesn't have a problem stating. She spends the time playing with my hair, just as before, and I just lay there, tolerating it until daybreak. Then, once again, sure enough, another can, and then she's gone.

It's sugary and sweet, and nothing like anything I've ever had before.

The days proceed like this over and over, and somehow, she manages to completely fool Plutia, never rousing suspicion of her activities or seeming out of the ordinary in the slightest as time passes by before us without any recourse.

And night after night, there she is. We discuss me, we discuss the other me, we discuss the world, and what the other two CPUs we'll likely meet here in this world, too, were like in hers, and sure enough – the CPU of Lowee turns out to be exactly as she says, with only minor variations. I of course, say nothing, but stand in awe as it all plays out just like she thought.

And night after night, we argue over whether I can compare to her world's Noire in any way, and it's always the same.

 _"You'll never be as amazing as she is._ "

Somewhere along the way, I find myself finding less and less interest in Plutia's qualities as I notice more and more about this purple-pink-haired girl, and how truly love-struck she is. I actively begin trying to be nicer, trying to improve on any even minute complaint she might ever voice about the other me, with every attempt going completely unnoticed.

Something inside me changes, day after day, week after week, month after month. I watch her chatter through the Histoires, to the other me – the way she genuinely brightens up, behaving in the same way when we first met her here, and eventually, after her sister joins us in our world, how hard she truly works when no one sees, in her endless hope to go home.

 _You'll never be like she is._

These words begin to ring through my mind, and it becomes my goal to try and steal even a little attention of this girl. As time goes on, she sometimes reacts to me in a fraction of the way she reacts to even the slightest contact with the other me, and even this is enough to begin pleasing me.

Never once does she try to 'do' anything to me – she simply plays with my hair and holds me close, and somewhere along the lines, I end up wishing she wanted more. Where did my love for Plutia go? When did I… become like this? How does she elude her sister's supervision so easily? How is she here, night after night, treating me like I'm nothing?

Do I deserve this?

And then, on that fateful day, our worlds intersect and we depart for her world – the truth being confirmed that she was never lying, that another, more advanced, more impressive world, existed in the future of ours, with the sake of both worlds hanging in the balance.

After we reunite with the sisters of our world's CPU counterparts, we depart to the final front lines, to defeat the evil Rei once and for all. The entire time, my eyes remain trained on her, and her eyes remain ever forward, searching, hoping…

The way she lit up at the information that we'd run into the other me soon, the way she seems so brilliant and unreachable now…

It hurts.

We run through the streets, the entire group, and up ahead – struggling alone with this massive forcefield – stands this world's me. I watch her entire body just… _glow_ as she breaks into a dash, racing toward her.

"…Noire… Noire! Noire! Noire!" she shouts, catching the attention of the other me, who squeals aloud as Neptune tackles her, hugging her tighter than I've ever seen. I notice tears streaming down her cheeks, her smile the most blinding light that has ever come into my life as the other me frets over her, getting embarrassed at the sudden contact in front of everyone. Neptune, of course, doesn't let go, instead hugging her tighter, ignoring the rest of us. "Noire… It's so good to see you!~"

The other me sighs, shaking her head with a soft smile and bright red cheeks. "I… I'm glad you feel that way, Neptune, but it's not been…"

"Yes, it has!" she exclaims, her fingers digging into the other Noire's clothes, who winces but sighs. "I've missed you, so much!"

"…Haah. Alright, alright. There, there, Neptune. It's okay now. You're back, and I'm right here, okay?" she reassures her softly, petting her head hopelessly, looking to the rest of us with a confused expression. We lock eyes, and I find myself at a loss for words and unable to do anything but just stare at her. This is my counterpart? This… gentler… easily-flustered… almost nurturing woman? _This_ is what I've been comparing myself with?

The two sit together for a few more minutes, though the time feels like an eternity in hell to me, before the other me and our party convince Neptune to recompose herself, that we have to continue on and put an end to things. Neptune is reluctant, very obviously, of course, but manages to make her usual, completely normal-seeming jokes, fluster the other me, and carry on as we proceed onward.

It'll end soon. She'll be gone soon. This'll all be over soon. Then, I can… I can go back to focusing on Plutia, and things will be okay. I always wanted this – I said it repeatedly, too. This was what I've… always wanted.

…

With the evil Rei defeated, everything regulates, and we have to quickly rush toward the connection between the worlds. The Histoires explain that the gate will be permanent, but remind us that both dimensions need to focus on rebuilding more than anything right now, so we should leave each side to their own work before anyone begins goofing off.

The entire time, Neptune remains glued to the other Noire, her entire being radiating happiness. Happiness I couldn't give her. And happiness I couldn't get.

It turns out, she was never that bad. Maybe it was me that had a bad understanding of her. And now, as we turn to return to the Ultradimension for the time being, the reality of it hits me.

I lost.

 **Much later.**

I sigh, finishing yet another pile of work. The other Noire's sister has been helping me out quite a bit, and the other me has been rather supportive in getting both Lastations into working order. I find myself utterly jealous at how talented she is at everything, but I can't one-up her yet. All I can do is accept her kindness and work to someday surpass her in at least this. Of this, I swear.

Neptune never leaves her side, though. Sometimes, we lock eyes, and I can see a knowing coldness in her eyes that she reserves for only me. It still chills me to this day, but it seems that the other me has no idea – Neptune opting to not tell her yet, I guess.

Time moves on, and today, I decide I'm done with paperwork. I'm going to go for a walk. Tucking my chair into the space in my desk for it, I stretch and drop off the stack of forms before excusing myself, heading out into my city. The bustling life of it isn't comfortable, though, so I decide against loitering around, and instead just make my way toward the forests on the outskirts of the city. Maybe I'll find something to do out here.

The weather is warm, yet there's a comfortable breeze, so I wander along lazily, trying to keep my head clear. Nothing really happens out here, so I come here now and then, having decided it a good place to be alone with my thoughts. Not that this is a good idea, I'm sure, but at least I can… let down my guard.

I cry. I fall to my knees, sobbing with the sharp pains in my chest finally surfacing, again, to be laid bare. I've started this cycle at least once or twice a week – a coping mechanism that manages to keep me afloat. It's not the most attractive, nor is it the healthiest, but nothing else will soothe the void, so at least crying about it helps me numb myself slowly but surely.

I'm broken and I know it. I won't deny it – she broke me to put herself back together, and it's not her fault; if I'd been more considerate, maybe she wouldn't have used me so brutally, and maybe I'd be the one she clings to, instead of the other me. Maybe it'd be different, and I hope in some universe, that I actually win. Somehow, some way.

"…Hey, hey! Why are ya' just sittin' there, crying? Cute girls aren't supposed to cry, y'know,~" a voice calls out, and my entire body stiffens. The voice, the speech… it couldn't be. My head immediately raises, whipping about in search of the source, noticing a singular figure standing before me.

She's taller than Neptune, and she's… better built, thinly concealed by a black hoodie instead of Neptune's white, with much longer hair and black pads in her hair instead of white ones, as well. Her face is a little more mature, but her smile is unmistakable, and I watch her in disbelief as she comes over to me, patting me on the head.

"There, there,~" she whispers, beaming. "You can tell all your woes to 'ol Nepsy here, cute girl.~ Don't cry anymore, okay?~ It's not an attractive sight,~" she teases, and I sniffle.

How could I forget? Technically… there'd have been a Neptune in this dimension too. So… this girl is…?

"…Nep… Neptune?" I ask shakily, watching her eyebrows arch as she blinks in surprise.

"…Whoa, you know me? I know my memory's not the greatest, but I think I'd remember someone like you.~ Wait! Ah!" she jumps, her eyes widening in the same way Neptune's used to when she'd tease me, way back when. "Are you an adoring fan?! I know I'm pretty, but… well, maybe.~"

I hiccup, rubbing away the tears streaming from my eyes with my left arm, and for the first time, as I tackle her, pressing my lips to hers – much to her vocally-evident surprise – I decide, that maybe… just maybe…

Maybe I can find my second chance to rediscover happiness, too.

* * *

 **He shoots for the double Nepoire ending! He... might score! Who knows!**

 **It got heavy, and I don't regret not extending the middle section of this. It'd get dark as hell. I don't read NTR/mind-break for good reasons, but I can pretty much infer that, yeah, Neptune went ahead and used her to stay afloat, and, yeah, UNoire ended up getting attached, and of course, anyone who's ever chased after someone unattainable can think of how this situation would play out when the person you chase finally gets to be with the person they originally cared about. Good stuff.**

 **Still, there's a bittersweet, yet happy ending. BigNep gets to pick up the broken pieces. And yes. I've decided - all BigNeps end in at least one kiss. This is decreed.**

Might not be up to my usual standard, but today wasn't exactly the greatest, and I've now worked on this for five hours, and I'm actually rather proud of it. You know this translates to a little over ten pages? It feels so short despite how long it took to write it. Such a cruel mistress.

Now to go ahead and possibly sleep, or start up the next one. It'll be brighter, probably, and be another mainNoire/mainNep. I promise to give you quality content. :D

With less dark crap.*

Tainted out!~


	29. Shot 29! Two Neps and a Tsunbunny

**Hiya, hiya.~ Have another interesting idea. I didn't first anticipate to do things like this, but I'm not too fussed about how things turned out. ^_^**

 **Know what? If any of you do art, or know someone who does, honestly? See me at the bottom. :D**

 **I'll just leave this short - this alternates between three POVs, twice, with very little time passing in between alternations. Let's leave it at that. :D**

 **Onward!~**

* * *

 **Noire.**

Love hurts. More than anything anyone has ever been able to do to me physically – the Deity, Rei, Kurome; love, by far, trumps them all. I sigh unhappily, nursing a glass of – surprisingly – whiskey, shaking my head softly at the scene playing out before me. Ahead, I watch the crowd of curious faces surrounding Neptune as she, well, does her Neptune thing.

It's not like I'll get too weird about it – I never have been strong enough to tell her, nor do I think she'd probably reciprocate; it's just her way to be flirty and outgoing, so making more out of it would just be wishful thinking. I tell myself this constantly, knowing it to be logically sound, but that doesn't stop it from hurting quite a bit.

I wonder when it changed from friendly interest into this? I've always thought she was rather cute, and her CPU form is… _wonderful_ in all of the right places, but I'm far from a slouch, myself. In fact, I'd tend to give myself as many points as I'd give her – but maybe that's my competitive nature kicking in. Still, no one shines the way she does, and I _hate_ watching her go about her antics with _everyone_ , especially in front of me, like it's nothing. I might not be honest about it – but she can't be _that_ thick, can she?

Maybe it was from the get-go. Something like love at first sight, even if I'm not sure about that – she's so bright and cheerful, she might just be the complement to me that I've always needed, but that's getting so utterly sappy, I can't even begin to ever wanting to say that.

Maybe that's why I'm sitting here, drinking this crap. I've begun experimenting with various drinks, wondering about them finally while also wondering… can we even get drunk off this stuff? It's not the highest concentration of alcohol, but it's not weak stuff, either, and people online have said that if I down enough of these, maybe my confidence will increase. Or I'll get sick and puke like an idiot. Not like anyone here would ever really care about the latter, even if they'll put up appearances that they do – I'll get teased, and that'll be the end of it.

"Haah," I exhale, closing my eyes, setting my head into my free hand, swishing the liquid in my glass around expertly. I also ought to recommend this stuff it works at all to Blanc – it's supposedly great for writers, too. Not that I'd know – I avoid _those_ kinds of embarrassing hobbies.

Well, whatever. I'm not going to worry about it too much more. I'll just… Bottoms up, I guess. Tilting my head back slightly, I chug it down, wincing in discomfort. Almost, almost… Ah. I cough quietly, rubbing the tears away from my eyes – it burns so much! How do people drink this in such mass quantities?! _Cough, cough._ Horrible.

Though, it's all worth it if it turns out to improve my shy attitude. I look over the get-together with interest; yet another gathering of all of us simply for hanging out as a group, though I wonder about the actual motives of it, since more than just Neptune demanded it. She's still surrounded with the various girls she's worked beside or brightened the lives of; Uzume, Plutia, that short girl from the Shas, some girls from around Planeptune, etcetera. Over to the left, I see the Blancs trying to share story ideas with one another – and our dimension's IF, surprisingly. Did she ever write…? Ah, whatever. Vert just came over – the one that I know – to start harassing the trio. The other one… is fighting over Nepgear with Uni and the other two sisters, who are frantically trying to save her from Vert's clutches. Over a bit more, the Compas are surrounded by _tons_ of people – a swathe of people trying to garner a bit of her time, but failing miserably. Compa? In love? I think that that'll be the day the world begins to end. Ah, there's that big Sha that travels around with Blanc… and she plops down in that group. Huh.

Elsewhere in the room, the two Histoires talk quietly together, with Croire, actually, and it occurs to me that the older Neptune must be out and about around here somewhere too. Maybe I should just change my target to her, instead – she's flirtier, but she's honestly more adept at understanding peoples' feelings, I think. Plus, she seems more likely to not mind me being a little clingy. Maybe it's not a bad idea – but abandoning Neptune after all this time… would probably be impossible for me.

Does it have to be Neptune? I ask myself this a lot, but… I can't see anyone else in the same way I see her.

I know K-Sha's got a creepy obsession with me, but she isn't the kind of girl I could ever see that way. Still, she's a nice friend, at least. I _could_ find myself and talk about stuff like this, but I don't know where she is, either… ah, she's standing a small distance away from Neptune's crowd, staring jealously at her. Right, she has a thing for… Plutia? I think?

That's a really weird couple. I can't visualize it.

Maybe because it's me, technically, but I'm not going to touch on that fact too much.

I sigh, pouring another glass from the bottle. I don't think anyone else ever even contemplates drinking most of this stuff, and I don't know who brought this bottle, but I'll try it out. If anyone asks, it's experimenting to finally clarify whether or not a Goddess can get drunk. Yeah.

Well, bottoms up.

* * *

 **Neptune.**

Laughing with everyone, I wave my hand jokingly at Uzume, humoring another one of her comments. Everyone seems to be having a lot of fun, so I'll keep sitting here, keeping them like that – even if I'd rather just sit down and unwind, if I was gonna' be honest. It's hard work being the center-point of most of these girls, but, I'll continue to do my best.

Looking the room over, I smile – everyone's seeming to get along really well. I'm glad. Maybe I don't need to worry so… much? I notice Noire sitting alone at the drinks table, a light red flush covering her entire face. What's she doing?

Instinctively, I pardon myself and pass through the horde of friends, making my way over to her. She's not talking to anyone, and I'm the only one that really manages to get under her skin by teasing her, so, it can't be that. Is she not feeling well? I frown, somewhat concerned.

"Hey, hey, Noire!" I call, her eyes rolling up toward me. Her eyebrow raises, and I scratch the back of my head, putting on my best smile. Maybe I made the wrong choice coming over here. "Whatcha' doin' over here? Ya' look kinda'…"

"Lonely? Nah, I'm… I'm pretty good," she remarks, her lips turning upward. I blink, somewhat caught off-guard. She's swirling an orange-colored mixture in a tall glass, her attention returning to it with a soft smile. I cock my head, wondering… "Don't… worry 'bout me; your group over there seems quiet now that ya' left," she points out, making a haphazard gesture to behind me.

"Huh?" I turn around, noticing the slightly uncomfortable faces of the girls as they try to make small-talk now, and narrow my eyes. Grumble, grumble, a Neptune's work is never done. "Are ya' actually okay, though, Noire? You're lookin' a little…"

"…Hm? I look what, Neptune? I feel pretty damn great, surprisingly."

I bite my lip, unable to really discern what's going on. She's behaving really strangely, even for her, but… I notice that a couple of the people from before are staring straight at me, and sigh. What to do, what to do…?

"…Go 'n deal with them, Nep," Noire says slowly, shaking her head. "I'm not as catty as some of those girls look, so I'll… still be here when y'get done. Go on, shoo, shoo," she mumbles, waving me away with her hand.

"…Alright, if y'say so, Noire. Catch ya' later."

"Later, Nep."

Having said that, I reluctantly depart from her, moving back to rejoin the group from before. I reapply my carefree expression, easily smoothing over the strange looks from before as I immediately involve myself in the constant round-trip of conversations again. The entire time, however, I keep an eye centered on her, still rather worried.

It's not like I'm the only person that should watch over Noire, but she's kind of difficult to get close to, and everyone else seems to think that, since I'm around, they don't need to work as hard to get to know her. Yeah, we're a two-in-one close friendship, but even I don't know enough about her, besides that she's easily embarrassed, socially awkward, and kind of a loner. And I don't like that. I scan the room for Uni, noticing she's over fighting over Nep Jr. with one of the Verts, and I sigh inwardly – the _other_ person that knows her pretty well is playing tug-of-war for my sister. As usual. Well, the one from my dimension seems to instead be bothering the Blancs and Iffy, so I suppose it's normal, then. At least Blanc looks happy – her furrowed brow only an act, I've learned. She and Vert are close, like Noire and I.

Or maybe closer. I should try a bit harder to _actually_ get to know Noire. I'm sure Uzume would make a good focal point when I'm not around, after all – she's _almost_ as awesome as I am, honestly.

That's when I notice two people joined Noire at the table. K-Sha, that also kind of socially awkward girl from before, and… me! Suddenly, I have a weird sense of unease well up inside me, and I decide that, now, I need to find a way to dislodge myself from all of these conversations.

* * *

 **Big Neptune.**

Y'know, I honestly sat down here simply because she looked all lonely, but now that that girl's around, I also feel a sense of protectiveness for Noire.

I mean, anyone who's ever been around with normal people knows that she managed to get herself a bottle of alcohol, steadily drinking it here by herself. I was kinda' hoping lil' me would manage to pick her up and get her to set down the bottle, but I never really noticed…

I'm really popular! Like, wow!

So, instead, here I am. This isn't really my thing, since it's kinda' just a bunch of people talking like usual, but, hey. Free food and snacks.~ Ah, right, don't get _too_ distracted, Neppy! Must, focus, on, drinking bunny!

"Hey, hey, you ought to try this, Noire,~" I say, offering her a small batch of cookies I scarfed from around the table. I smile at her as she slowly shifts her attention to me, her expression bored. "Hey, that's no way to look at me!" I grumble, and she opens her mouth to say something, but I smirk and stuff a cookie into her mouth.

"Then… mmrph?!" she reacts pretty quickly, meaning she _might_ still be salvageable if I'm careful as she drops her glass onto the table with a loud clatter, her hands moving up to swat my hand away. She glares at me as I wink, sticking my tongue out at her as she exhales a deep, somewhat frustrated breath, munching on it without saying anything else.

"That's… dangerous, Miss Neptune," K-Sha comments from the other side of Noire, her eyes watching me like a cat watching its next meal. I grin, shrugging. You won't scare me off, missy! I'm Neptune, Queen of… something! Bah, I need another truffle or something, I'm not feeling witty at the moment. "Noire, are you okay?"

"…Mm, mhm," she mumbles, chowing down on the cookie, chewing it quietly before swallowing. She glances back at her glass, sighing, moving to grab it again, but I instinctively now shove a truffle in front of her face. "…Eh? The he…rrgh!" Truffle away! She's silenced, sir!~

I smile, entwining my hands in a net under my head as I lean on the table, humming softly while watching her. You won't defeat _this_ Nep so easily!

She eats it, her expression agitated but subtly appreciative, I think. She's easy to read, deep down, so I'll give her the shoulder she needs for whatever reason until she's back to that independent, showy, tough girl act. It's kinda' cute, she's such a brave little girl.~

"Miss Neptune!" K-Sha starts up again, her eyes wide with worry. "She might choke! Don't do that. Noire, please chew carefully."

"…Mm," she responds, struggling with the gooey truffle. Was that a peanut butter one? Or was it a jelly one? Or just chocolate? Hmmm… I pop one in, kicking my feet pleasantly. Definitely jelly. So good!~ She watches me intently, and I grin, tilting my head toward her slightly – somehow causing her to flush in the process as she mutters something after swallowing.

"Hmmm?~ I can't hear you.~"

"…Shut up, you're being so loud," she grumbles, though I know for a fact she's just not being honest. She sighs, shaking her head. "Are you going to do that every time?"

"Do what?~"

"Shove something in my mouth if I try to take a drink."

"Maaaaybe.~ I just want you to try all this amazing food.~"

"…Idiot."

I shrug nonchalantly, noticing I've also earned the attention of lil' me. We lock eyes, hers full of concern, but I wink at her. _I got this for now_ , I hope she interprets the gesture as, and she quickly focuses her attention on the trio of very… 'fluffy' women vying for her attention. Who knew there were so many girls into a petite me? I know I'm a knockout, but sheesh.~

Returning my attention to my charge, my eyes narrow on how she's managed to already chug down another half a glass under my nose. I react instantly, slamming my hands down on the table – much to the surprise of all parties in the room – as I quickly try to formulate a statement to halt her from proceeding. What to say…?

"Noire, you don't need to show off how much you can have in your mouth so openly!~ It's okay, I'll accept you regardless, even if you can't take everything…,~" I manage out, acting like an embarrassed maiden. Sure enough, it seems to work adequately as she suddenly coughs, slamming the glass down again as she lurches forward, her cheeks reddening from more than just the drink as she glares at me, motioning angrily. Good thing she's a shy little girl, or that might've just been wasted breath.

I wonder if what I just said can apply to girls? I mean, I can imagine it, but it makes me wonder if people will get the wrong idea about what's under my hoodie. Hmm… ah, well. No harm done at this point.

K-Sha suddenly rises from her seat, rubbing Noire's back, her expression now angry. "Noire, calm down! Just… take it slow, and swallow. Take it easy…," she says, ensuring she manages to not choke nor spew it out, before she locks eyes with me. "You're being incredibly difficult, and you're putting her in jeopardy for your jokes."

Oh, the little girl wants to butt heads, eh? I've got the better butt—wait a minute. I stand now, as well, narrowing my eyes. She's not being a good influence, instead trying to reinforce a very dangerous idea for our little tsunnybunny here. Thinking of how alcohol affects most of the people I've met for the first time, her presence nearby makes sense, but I don't like it. _Definitely_ don't like it.

"I don't want you trying to convince Noire that it's okay to get plastered like a cheap date, either, kiddo. How about you step down and get her some water? Be a good friend, huh?" I say, picking my words decently, I think. She pauses, frowning, the idea crossing her mind, but doesn't relent.

"She's mature enough to make her own decisions without you trying to act like a chaperone, _Miss_ Neptune. What would you know, anyway?" she counters, and I raise an eyebrow. "You don't know either of us that well, as it is."

She has a point, but! "Believe it or not, _Missy_ , I'm pretty knowledgeable about this sort of stuff – I've been a human my entire life, and I'm _pretty_ sure I've known people who do these kinds of things from time to time. It doesn't usually end well, so, since _you_ won't step in, I'll keep an eye on her."

"…Guys…"

"Why do you feel so obligated? Shouldn't you be off, doing whatever it is that you do?"

I shake my head, scoffing. "I _am_ doing 'whatever it is that I do' right now; keeping an eye on the people I like. Novel concept, huh?"

"Y-you like Noire?!" she responds instantly, hinging on those words as if I dealt her a mortal blow. Her eyes darken a bit, and I feel I have found confirmation as to why I'm in this argument in the first place. Gotta' protect her.

"Hmhmhmm,~" I come back with, crossing my arms while closing an eye, grinning. "A maiden never reveals her secrets.~"

"Y… you!"

The sound of a bottle clattering onto the table breaks both of our concentration, and I look down in horror to notice that Noire managed to polish off the bottle while we were arguing. She coughs, sweating a little, and I immediately lean down, rubbing her back, my eyes glued to her. Crap, crap, crap! I messed up and got too into arguing with K-Sha, I forgot why the argument started in the first place.

My opponent, on the other hand, stares on with a knowing, smug expression, and I decide – she does not deserve to be added to my collection of smug faces. I sigh, somewhat irritated at this turn of events as I look over the table, trying to find… ah, there! I use my spare hand to hastily pour out a glass of water, sliding it in front of Noire.

"Drink, please. Nothing but alcohol and sugar's terrible for ya', Noire. Chase it with some water, at least," I whisper, and she eyes me weakly, but complies. She drinks this far more slowly than the alcohol, but maybe that's for the best. What's the percentage on this stuff, anyway?

…About average, it looks like. Okay, that's… better than expected. Still, good thing she's a Goddess – otherwise, in this quantity and at this speed, I'm pretty sure she'd be hospitalized or worse.

Need to get her some food, too. Need to get her a lot of things, but with K-Sha here, I'm not able to do as much. Hopefully she doesn't puke in the next few minutes… or maybe hopefully she does. Goddess, what a difficult little girl.

Instinctively, I call out, "Hey, lil' me, get over here and keep her company." Little me jumps, immediately rushing over with a concerned expression. Awesome, this might work out either way. Standing up, moving a very small distance away from Noire – but keeping her in my line of sight – I whisper into little me's ear. "Alright, first thing's first – she's gone and wiped out an entire bottle of whiskey in a speed that's already above inhuman – or at least just plain unhealthy. Take it from me; she'll either get sick if we're luckier, or she'll start trying to pass out if she doesn't get strangely happy and clingy. You're going to deny her from sleeping, and _you're_ going to sit with her as she goes through the ups and downs of this while I go get her some food and stuff. Keep her drinking water, make sure she doesn't drink any more… Hey, Noire, finish what I poured ya'!" I suddenly shift, and she jumps, nodding obediently. She's pale, better get a bucket or something. "And that's about it," I say to myself, who nods with a very strangely unhappy expression. I think it's a mixture of worry and maybe some guilt, but I'm too busy trying to think of where all of the regular food and stuff might be, either here in the Basilicom, or out in the square surrounding it. "I'll get you a bucket to hand her, and then I'm gonna' go scavenging. Ya' got this, right?"

"…Yeah, yeah I got this. I won't let her out of my sight."

"Good, me! Let's get this tag-team Nepping going!" I reply, smiling softly at her. Walking over to Noire, I pat her on the back and rub her head a little. "I'll be back soon, you troubled bunny. Stay outta' any further trouble 'till I get back, alright? And don't be afraid to bully lil' me back some! She'll look after ya' while I'm gone. Be back shortly!~"

Pivoting on my heel, I quickly rush off to gather everything – taking care to find the bucket, first…

* * *

 **Noire.**

Uuugh… I feel like utter shit.

Neptune's sitting beside me now, rubbing my back with the most worried face I've ever seen from her, now that the older her ran off. My mind's getting fuzzier, I can feel it, but my stomach's already beginning to kill me. I peer about the room, noticing people are watching us with varying levels of alarm – the Blancs looking on with concern, Neptune's little group observing with unreadable expressions, Vert… grinning? Our sisters are all arguing over something now, too, with the Compas trying to disengage themselves from the massive pile of fans. K-Sha's still beside me, too, but she's not saying anything now.

Neptune's face… is really pretty. Her hand's warm, too.

"…Hey, Noire. I'm here, now, okay? Are y'gonna'…?"

I smile weakly at her, exhaling shakily. I know I'm getting paler by the minute, and I'm salivating a bit more. I'll look like a complete idiot if I end up vomiting everywhere, here, but I think if I got up, it'd be an instantaneous thing. All I can hope for, is… ah.

The older Neptune reappears, thrusting a bucket with a bag, and a couple more bags, into Neptune's hands, whispering something to her. Neptune nods, seemingly more attentive and serious than usual, as the older one pets my head again before rushing out of the room for something. I feel… kind of sad, watching her leave. She's… really nice, too.

Neptune meekly passes me the bucket, and I sort of chuckle, eyeing her. "…Thanks for the effort," I say, my mouth working faster than my brain. "Definitely sss… support of the year, Neptune."

She grins awkwardly, shrugging. "I've always been told I'm a better carry than a support, y'know?"

"Oh, shut up. I _swear_ I'll use _you_ as the… ugh, crap," I cut off, my stomach getting _really_ uncomfortable. I remain quiet, urging my body to keep it down. Focus, focus… c'mon… And… Swallow. Okay, that… that was disgusting, but it worked. I wince, the taste still hanging in my throat, coupled with the aftertaste of the whiskey. I motion to Neptune, pointing to the water, watching as she clumsily rises to her feet, working as best she can to get me a glass-full. "…Thanks," I mutter, sipping from it gingerly, swishing it around in my mouth in hopes to rid of some of this Goddess-awful taste.

"Hey, anytime," she says, smiling. Ah… brilliant. "Can I get ya'… anything else?"

"…Nah, I think I'm okay. Just… talk, I guess."

I can sorta' feel the buzz people talk about, but it's… not as great as I imagined it. If anything, I just feel _weird._ My vision's a little slow, and things are kinda' bright and hazy. It's… uncomfortable. Good thing I'm not seasick, I guess. "Just, yeah… Talk. Lemme' hear your voice."

She has a strange expression, but nods. "Of course, Noire. Uh, well…," she pauses, struggling for a topic. She's hopeless, I swear. She snorts after a moment, eyeing me. "Is it any good?"

"…Ah?"

"…Whatever you were drinking?" she asks, and for some reason, I burst out laughing.

"You're… sucha' 'tard. Buut… nah, it tastes like… like ass."

"…So you're not a butt person?" she quickly comes back with, and we both chuckle together.

"…Hhhell if I know. I'm… startin' t'see what people talked about, the effectsa' it. It'sss… weird."

"On a scale of Blanc's old stories to the things I stumble onto constantly?" she says, grinning as we hear both Blancs pipe up with embarrassed anger from across the room.

"Definitely… closer to your weird crap. It's all… kinda' fuzzy?" She looks really comfy. I wonder how soft her hoodie is? "…Kinda' like your hair."

"…My hair's fuzzy?"

"…Yeah. Really fuzzy. Fluffy, too."

She nods, her lips upturned in a strangely amused expression, and I narrow my eyes while furrowing my brow. She better not be making fun of me like this, I'll… I'll do something. Not sure what, though.

"Whaaat, Noire?" she inquires, apparently aware of how hard I'm looking at her. "Admiring your gorgeous friend?~"

"…Yeah, maybe. Whaddya' gonna' do 'bout it if I am, Nep…," I trail off, suddenly feeling very sleepy. I sway back and forth, sighing. "Tired."

Neptune frowns, patting my shoulder. "Stay awake, alright? It's apparently terrible to sleep after chugging that much. Ah, uh, have a bit more water," she suggests, and I nod, trying to drink a bit more. It's… getting warm, probably from sitting so long. I'll bear with it, since both Neptunes are insisting, though.

"Noire's capable, so she should be able…"

"I don't want to hear it from you, K-Sha. Big me's more used to this stuff than any of us, I'm pretty sure, so I'm gonna' go with her. Not even being biased just because she's the prettiest and most womanly woman ever, or anything like that, either," Neptune remarks, cutting her off while praising herself. "She's the spitting image of the most wondrous person in the world, with a few more worldly notches on her belt, obviously."

"Pffft. I didn't… think you were _that_ narcis… narc… self-infatuated, Nep. That's… gross." Why does it get so hard to think about pronouncing certain words? I swear.

"Hey, y'didn't deny it,~" she counters, her expression smug and slightly embarrassed. I laugh, rolling my eyes – but this gesture was a poor idea on my apart, as my stomach churns at the sudden shift in my vision, and I suddenly…

"Ah, cr…," I manage out, pushing the glass into Neptune's hands as I reach for the bucket.

* * *

 **Neptune.**

Watching her unceremoniously spew into the can, I wince. It smells horrible, but I rub her back since it feels like the right thing to do – everyone else pausing from trying to resume their conversations to watch us with pitying eyes. For some reason, this irritates me – you'll watch like this from afar, but you won't come check on her? What the heck's up with that?

As she finishes, she sets the bucket down gingerly, heaving with quite the extreme amount of sweat running down her face. I glance down at the can, mildly disgusted – but I finally understand what these spare bags are for. Pulling it toward me, I loop the top of the bag and pull it out, swapping the bags while quickly pardoning myself to go throw it out. She nods weakly, and I hesitate for a few moments to leave her alone with K-Sha, but decide it'd be better for both of us not to have to smell this. Hurrying, I dispose of it and rush back, plopping down into my seat after washing my hands, scooting closer to her again. She apparently drank a bit more of her water, which is good, and she currently just sits in her chair, looking miserable.

"I should ask Histy about stuff like this sometime," I remark, and she suddenly chuckles.

"I… maybe I shoulda'… thought of that," she explains, and I snort. She didn't think about this? That's not like her at all. She's always so meticulous and careful, I wouldn't have thought she'd be spontaneous with _anything._

"It… happens to the best of us," I try to reassure her, and she shrugs nonchalantly, some of her color returning for the time being. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do now, but continue sitting beside her nonetheless. I think back on some of big me's advice, though I can't honestly remember most of it now. My mind's…

Kinda' full of her, for some reason. She's… being kind of weird, but it's weird in a comfortable way. She thinks really highly of me, I'm starting to discover, and it's embarrassing but really nice to learn. And, that's saying something – the great Neptune, learning something? That's like, a one-in-a-billion thing!

"Hey…," she starts, and I cock my head. I notice K-Sha's still hanging around with a really sad look on her face, but decide to forego mentioning it. If she wants to stay glued to Noire when she's like this and _encourage_ Noire to seem this feeble, I'll show her no mercy. "I'nm… I'm sssorry, by th' way."

"…Huh? What for, Noire?"

"I… dragged y'away from everybody, and… well, I prob'ly look like shit."

I snort, shaking my head as she turns to stare at me. "Nah, that's not true. You're as wonderful as always, Noire – and I don't mind hanging out with ya'. You're, like, my best friend, anyway."

"Pffft. I guess I can… settle for it," she mutters, sighing. I cock my head, her words suddenly seeming very cold… or sad? She wants to be more than a best friend? Is that like a… super-ultra-best friend forever? Or…?

…Could it be like _that_? Huh. That's… maybe I'm overthinkin' it. She's not like herself at the moment, so she's just being weird, or something. I don't know enough about alcohol to really know what it does to people. I ought to ask Histy, for realsies, later.

We sit in silence for a few minutes, watching everyone start chattering as normal again. Our sisters seem pretty calm now – even Uni, who originally looked like she was gonna' flip out, but couldn't, since Nep Jr. kept her where she was – and everybody else is talking away, too. Well, except the Blancs, who keep eyeing me with grudge-filled eyes. Eheheh… that joke will be paid for in blood, later, I guess.

Eventually, I notice big me slips back into the room, a plentiful amount of stuff in her arms. She waddles over to us, and surprisingly, K-Sha gives up her seat before disappearing to wherever as big me plops down on the other side of Noire. Setting the bags down at her feet, she fishes through them. Pulling out some bready-looking pastries and a couple fresh bottles of water, she sets them in front of Noire, petting her head while I continue to rub her back, and it occurs to me that Noire seems even more at ease with her back.

I sort of puff my cheeks at this revelation, somewhat jealous, for once.

"Heya, heya, Noire.~ Told ya' I'd be back. Try eatin'… wait, lil' me, did she puke yet?" she inquires, leaning back behind Noire's back to focus on me.

I do the same, nodding. "Yeah, it was a lot, so I don't, uh… is it normal?"

She nods, now, as well. "Yup! That happens in excess. She'll probably do it a few more times. If she doesn't, I'll be pretty surprised – I don't _think_ she'll have anything severe like poisoning, since it's only one bottle and she's got a stronger constitution than any normal girl her size, but it's still not going to be nice to her if this is her first time. Was it?"

Noire nods with a frown. "Y-yeah. It was… kinda' an experiment."

Big me snorts, shaking her head. "Y'shoulda' asked me to help ya' with that, since you went about it the wrong way, ya' silly bunny. But, eat one of these," she says, offering Noire a pastry. "It's mostly bread, but it should still be somewhat tasty. Chase it with some water, too – just not too much that you'll feel like puking again. Take it slow."

She obeys without too much fuss, and I decide it's my turn to receive Noire's attention. I grab the pastry, opening it for her while breaking off a piece. It's filled with a little jelly – is big me fascinated with jelly or something? It's the kind of sweet she goes for, first, every time, too. Noire's eyes widen, and big me grins with a strange glint in her eye, as Noire embarrassedly accepts the small bite's-worth of pastry. Her cheeks are a soft red, and it's really pretty, even if it's barely noticeable since her face is a constant red at the moment.

I've never really noticed it, but she's… really quite beautiful, up close. She's always so busy and focused, and maybe I've just never paid attention, but she has a sort of glow to her. Like, I mean, yeah, _everyone_ in our massive group of friends can glow in certain lighting – like if they activate HDD, for example – but it's not the same _kind_ of glow. It's a glowy glow, that glows… glowy. Glowchovies.

Aaagh, I can't even figure out my own thoughts. What a conundrum!

Ooh, that's a cool word; conundrum. I should use that more often.

After a few minutes of musing over this, I remember that I'm supposed to be feeding Noire – who just stares at me with half-glazed, sparkly eyes, and I gulp. Doki, doki?! Hahaha, that sounds so silly, but… it's not wrong. She's so close. I sigh, shaking my head of the weird thoughts as I break apart more of the pastry, feeding her slowly. Behind her, the big me has a smug expression as she continues to run her hands through her hair, her eyes remaining trained on me with a knowing look.

B-baka Neptune, always looking so… so smug!

I don't even know anymore, but Noire, honestly, looks the happiest I've ever seen her. If I could compare her to anything, it'd be… a rabbit, soaking up attention from the people it likes the most, which… is so fitting, it makes me chuckle. She tilts her head curiously, the red dusting on her cheeks making me feel awkward again.

"There's a good Noire,~" the older me praises her gently, sighing. "Don't do anything so reckless again, alright? We're here for ya', right, lil' me?~"

"…Mm! I'll always have time for ya', Noire. Next time, lemme' know before ya' do stuff like this."

"…Mm. Okay."

For some reason, I think I've discovered how I want to spend my night, and judging by the reactions of Older Me, and Noire… I don't think there are any objections.

This feeling is… really comfortable, actually. Maybe, just maybe…?

* * *

 **Big Neptune.**

It seems I got wrapped up in a very convoluted love story, I think.~

Well, I'm not really _surprised_ about it or anything – almost anyone with half a brain could figure out at least _one_ of these little girls was head over heels, and I think lil' me's starting to catch some love, too, now. I'm making her jealous by being here, but, y'know what?~

I'm having fun with this little obedient bunny, too.~

Her hair's pretty soft, and very well cared for. It's nice to run my hands through, and the way she sits here and soaks up our attention is just so cute.~ I could get used to this, though I _guess_ I'll have to tread carefully, ahahaha.~

Time passes pretty slowly, and everybody around us begins to move on with their night – various parties bidding farewell, or certain people disappearing together – I'm lookin' at _you,_ one of the Blancs and Vert, and then the other Vert and Iffy. I'm not blind.~ I wink at both Verts, who offer me knowing grins of their own, and then, poof! They're gone. Rom and Ram get sleepy, so the other Blanc also escorts them home for the night, and the Histoires plus Croire seem to all end up falling asleep on one another – the party dropping like flies.

Those catty unnamed girls and the Compas' adoring fans all disperse finally, too, with sullen and disappointed looks – their objects of affection completely uninterested in any of them. Especially the ones trailing after Neptune – her eyes are glued to Noire, now. It's so adorable.~

Speaking of Noire, I glance over and notice the other Noire is finally integrating with Plutia and Uzume, with Uni and Nepgear joining the conversation after a little longer, too. Unbeknownst to any of them, I notice Uni and Nepgear's hands are interlinked – a very obscure fact almost unnoticeable considering how they've got themselves positioned, but my Nepped Eye sees all!~

I yawn, somewhat tired, though. All the running around to find places able to sell the stuff I was looking for took a lot out of me, and having to fret and argue like this isn't my usual thing – it's exhausting work, being the responsible older sister type! And people thought I was all play.~

Maybe I'll sleep soon, though, I don't know whether leaving these two alone is good… for me, of course.~ It'd be the best for them, but, by technical logic – little me is me, too, so anything she has, should also be mine, right?~

I won't lose.~

"…Mm… Getting tired," Noire mumbles out, breaking our silence. I purse my lips contemplatively, glancing around for a clock. How long has it been? Some of the alcohol should be filtering through her, but not nearly enough to where we don't have to worry about her choking on her own vomit in the middle of the night. She's holding down the food, though, at least, so it's better than it could be – but I'm still not going to tempt fate.

"Hang in there, little Noire," I mutter into her ear, watching her body shiver – much to the other me's jealous dismay. "You need to stay awake for a couple more hours, at _least_ , before I'll let ya' get any sleep. You drank too much, so we'll all pay the price with ya'.~"

"How long should it take, y'think?" Lil' me asks, and I frown, swaying my head back and forth as I try to estimate.

There's, like, seven to eight hundred milliliters in a bottle, and at least the average shot glass is… what, fortyish? And, thinking of how quickly it leaves the body – which isn't all that quickly at all, if I recall – the amount of time it'd take… hahahahahaha.

"To where she stops feeling sick as hell? For a human, it'd _definitely_ probably be a full day for it to noticeably see it starting to exit her body, for her mind to stop being probably full-out mush at this point. For a Goddess? I dunno'."

* * *

 **NOT PLOT RELEVANT, JUST A RANDOM NOTE HERE SPECIFICALLY - THE NEXT PART IS STILL IN BIGNEP'S POV**

 **(Might've done my math wrong, but 700'ish mL in a bottle of whiskey divided by 40mL or so is 17.5'ish shots. Based on a general 55% for the hell of it, that'd equate, supposedly, to a BAC of… .49%, roughly, based on her weight (which is roughly around 94lb, iirc). Considering .015% of that drains every hour, supposedly, it'd turn out to about 32 hours in total for it to technically be _really_ getting out of her system – which, if all of this works and I have a decent handle on this after doing some quick calculations off various legitimate-seeming sites, should be entirely inhuman and she'd be ****_way_** **beyond the point of suffering some serious side-effects. But, she's a Goddess, so it works out, right? If someone wants to privately tell me how to better work these calculations sometime, should they be bored, I'd be more than impressed to get a better grasp on this stuff for any future inclusions of alcohol in any of these stories. I'm not of legal age drinking age in the States despite being an adult already, so I'm not as experienced with this stuff as some people might be – and asking a friend about alcohol simply for writing a Yuri fanfiction might get me some weird looks. Ah, anyway. That, or just have her stop drinking whole bottles of the stuff, but where's the fun in that?)**

* * *

"…You're kidding, right?" Lil' me asks, and I shake my head, laughing nervously.

"Not in the slightest. I wish I was, but I also don't know you girls' physiology. Ah, but if you want, Noire, you and I can figure it out sometime,~" I tease with a hungry smirk, watching her shiver as lil' me tenses up. "Lil' me, you can join in too, y'know?~ We're the same person, basically, right?~"

She pauses, tilting her head after feeding Noire another bit of a pastry. I notice four or five wrappers lay barren on the table, and a couple of the bottles are empty, and I roll my eyes. Someone likes feeding her drunken pet.~ She rolls her head back and forth, obviously contemplating the idea, before sighing. "…Whatever," she mumbles, and I wink at her.

"That's the spirit.~"

And that's about the whole of it – the night continues with us tending to her as she munches and rests quietly with a drowsy look, both of us at her side the entire time. Truthfully, I didn't expect to spend my night like this – nor discover something like her, but, then again…

Life's full of wonderful surprises, huh?~

I smirk, deciding to change the mood of the night after the sisters disperse, Uzume and Plutia turning in for the night, and we're left alone as a trio. Noire's sister and her counterpart return to Lastation, and Nepgear heads off with them to 'run some last-minute errands,' and so here we are.~

I slide my fingers along the back of Noire's neck, deciding to make the first contribution to the future. "Hey, Neptune, can you lean toward me for a minute? I got somethin' to say, but don't want the Histies or Croire to hear.~"

She tilts her head, but complies anyway. I smirk, taking this opportunity to press on Noire's neck, forcing her forward – face-first against Neptune.

 _Smooch!_

I grin, knowing that my role as cupid begins, the two… surprisingly calm about it. In fact, I think they're both enjoying it! "Hey, not fair,~ I expected a bigger reaction!~ Fine then,~" I exclaim, grabbing Noire, pulling her away to press my lips to hers, now, instead.

Soft.~

Neptune suddenly exclaims in alarm, Noire getting all weak-kneed, and I narrow my eyes on this pretty couple. I'm going to make this a night to remember with these two.~ After all…

…it's not like they can't spare a few decades for lil' old me, too, right?~

* * *

 **I had intentions to drag this out a _liiiittle_ bit more, leading into a slight bedroom scene, but, I suddenly lost the last thousand-or-so-words-full of motivation to go that far. Sorry! _ Still, I think this ended up kinda' cute, right? I for one had a lot of fun writing it, and this even brought a couple really pretty ideas for art to mind, that I also need to go look for, though I don't expect finding any results -**

 **#1 - Noire nursing a glass of whiskey at a table, her head in her spare hand, a bored look on her face, would probably be _really, really_ hot. I don't know if anyone agrees, but if you ever find this stuff or know someone/are someone that can produce it, I'd love you forever. :D**

 **#2 - Two Neps feeding and petting an intoxicated, embarrassed, obedient Noire would be adorable as all hell. She leans forward in her little chair, Neptune feeding her while BigNep plays with her hair... AAAAAH!~3**

 **...ANYWAY. That aside, I've contemplated the fact that, honestly, I don't believe BigNep would mind sharing Noire with mainNep. Let's face it - it's a pretty cute idea, now isn't it? I don't believe Noire would mind, either.~ Only Neptune might, and I don't think she'd fight with herself _too_ much, since, well, they're both Neptune, and Neptune doesn't seem the overly-possessive type... with herself. Keywords there; 'with herself.'**

 **I dunno'. I enjoyed this. And if anyone wants to do the math with that alcohol conundrum toward the end, it'd be an interesting discovery since I'm sure I probably made a mistake somewhere. If I didn't - holy crap, alcohol calculations are pretty simple stuff. Regardless - I learned another piece of semi-trivial information, so writing these are good for me in lots of ways, too. ^_^**

Leave any feedback or just enjoy it and ghost - I don't mind either way! I know that things might not always go the way you want, but know that even _I_ tend to have different ideas and they just turn out like this! You try writing for multiple hours, following a loose plot in your head, remaining 100% dedicated to a specific ending, when there's room for more fluffy development! (Actually, that's probably somewhat easy, and maybe I'm just spontaneous and weak-willed, but OH WELL.)

Now, to possibly start contemplating creating scenarios for specific art, again...

Tainted out!~


	30. Shot 30! Game Nights (v1)

**Influenced by** **/FU3osr3 - uploaded by myself to imgur, though I don't know the artist, nor what they're saying. Still, it's an adorable piece of art and I felt like having a spin on it of my own.**

 **UPDATE -** **the artist is 'nmccwss' as I have been informed by a wonderful guesting reviewer and chaossoulg. You can find them on pixiv, just like I'm about to go investigate and hopefully gush until I become a pool of Nepoire-shipping marshmallow juice. Definitely a great visual picture. I am glad to be able to source the artist now, though - IT'S SUCH ADORABLE ARTWORK. GO CHECK THEM OUT! :D**

 **So, here we are. This is relatively short, but it's pleasant in its own right. I had other plans initially, but now I'm tired and took a more lax approach.**

* * *

"Excuse me, I'm coming in."

I pardon myself politely as I close the door gently behind me, my eyes wandering over the room before me – it's as messy and disorganized as always, with various game boxes, pillows and books thrown here and there. It's a testament to the patron of this room; a spiky-haired, lazy mess who currently lays unceremoniously on a dogoo pillow on her bed, her legs kicking freely in the air as she browses yet another game catalog. Ah, but it's from Lastation – bonus points for giving my lands business for her unhealthy habits.

Honestly, I ought to tidy this place up for her sometime soon again, but it's not like it'd help; in another day, it'd be just as chaotically torn apart as always. Well, to each their own, I guess; I mutter harsh criticisms under my breath as I proceed further into the room, her eyes shifting from the magazine's contents to me, and then back. I click my tongue, somewhat annoyed at this very brief acknowledgment, but she seems to react faster than I can voice a complaint.

"Heya, Noire," she says flatly, her attention obviously rapt upon that magazine. How recent is it? Judging by the 'Shielded Core' label and the knight collapsed onto his knees, I'd say it's the newest – I remember helping design it, even. Further behind those two is the infamous Commander Leopard from the Noire Effect series, and a couple other teaser portraits of other series limited to Lastation's upcoming console release. I glance to the left, noticing the pile of Lastation technology has a small space in its cubbyhole under her television; obviously dedicated to the new system.

"Evening, Neptune," I finally reply, setting down my small carry-bag full of my stuff for the evening, shaking my head. "Your room's as trashed as always, y'know," I remark, and she shrugs nonchalantly. "Did you get scolded by Histoire again?"

"Nah, she just went off to do something a while ago – something about needing to speak to Iffy, I think. Wanna' clean it up for me, again?" she asks, setting the article down while grinning at me. She rolls over onto her back, stretching lazily – like a cat would, honestly – as she yawns. "You're still dressed all normally," she points out, and I roll my eyes.

"You think I'd walk through both your _and_ my city in pajamas? I'd be seen as carefree as you are, and that role only fits you," I point out, looking myself over. "Go look at the wall again or something while I change, though."

"Whyyyy? We're both girls," she complains, but she's still kind enough to comply. She mumbles about something, but I ignore her for the most part while hurriedly changing before she decides she's bored and turns around. I manage to ditch and swap out my skirt and leggings for my bottoms, and quickly lose my bra, over-shirt, bustier, and the top part of my dress, tugging on my pajama top, getting to the buttons at the bottom of my chest before she flips over. "Bored.~ Ah, you're almost done already."

I huff, shaking my head – the time for getting outright embarrassed at her antics like this have long since passed as I finish buttoning it up, stretching. I tug the ribbons from my hair, letting it cascade down my back to finally rejoin as one giant, waterfall-blob. It's a little longer than in my HDD form, so it sits around slightly above my backside, and I have to admit – it's really comfortable like this. It's not iconic for me, though, so I only do this when it's just her and I.

Whenever we started this, I've sort of forgotten – we decided together that we'd have 'game-nights' together, most nights, where we'd visit one another for slumber parties and just hang out and relax. At first, it was a huge deal and we were both easily excitable and kept pushing for all of the 'Big Musts' for sleep-overs, but quickly realized how silly that was, and just instead began enjoying one another's company while letting down our guards.

As it turns out, she's a lot more mellow and a lot less of, well, a spaz, when she's not putting on airs for everyone. Me? I'm less excitable and less of a show-off. I don't have anything special to prove to her, so I can just be myself and play games without any worry about being judged by her the day after. It's just a mutual time to unwind and let loose, which we both seem to appreciate rather greatly since we've not missed a single day of it yet.

"Whatcha' wanna' play?" she asks finally, rolling up from her back into a sitting position, staring at me with her hands pressed down on her knees. Her pajamas are a bit more intricate than mine – I wear a baggy grey top and bottom, where she wears pink short-shorts and a _way_ oversized white hoodie. She even ditches those clips in her hair, which, actually makes her look a lot cuter – but, this in turn, makes her look another few years younger. And Goddess knows, she doesn't want to look any _more_ like a kid.

"I dunno', I brought a couple ones that we could take turns on, some fighting games, or a couple co-op campaigns. Take your pick," I say, dumping the other contents of my bag onto her bed. Since she has such a terribly short attention span, I might as well leave the choice in her hands, like always.

"Hm… Six Nights at Plutia's?"

"Pseudo-horror game. It's… a big time-waster, more than anything."

She nods, setting it off in the unofficially-dubbed 'Denepped' pile. She points to the next one, Noiresona 4, and I shrug. "Kind of hard to explain. You've played the other three and didn't stay interested for all that long. Figured I'd bring it over for you anyway, though."

"…Eh, I'll play it sometime when you're gone. This one… No CPU's Land?"

"…I dunno'?"

"Smooth."

"Shut up, I just grabbed whatever else that I had some spares of. Keep looking."

I didn't really need to say that – she's already sifting through the pile without even asking me about a good few of them. The 'Denepped' pile keeps growing, becoming titles that will take up shelf space but probably never see use before anyone but her, when no one's around. I pull up a chair from her desk, sliding it around while sitting on it backwards, resting my head on the back of it. The next five to ten minutes pass by in a comfortable silence as she debates over various boxes, checking the art and backs while muttering comments about each.

"Hrm… Whoa, what's this?"

"Eh?" I say, only half-interested. It's so nice and quiet here, I feel at peace.

" _Vert's Bounty: the Unabashed Tales of Leanbox_?" She pauses, and we exchange curious looks as I slide off my chair, plopping down on her carpet beside her as she sticks the disk in. She nestles into my side, leaning her head on my shoulder as we wait for it to download, and I notice a soft smell of lavender.

"Hey, you showered," I remark, and she nods. "Wow, you actually have _some_ hygiene after all."

"Hey, shut up – I'm pretty good about staying clean – you're just not around when I'm 'freshly' showered," she objects, waving a hand at me. "Not everyone can always smell nice and look pretty all day; some of us just don't have that talent."

"Haah, or you just don't apply the effort," I counter, pleased by her praise. It's nice to know she sometimes pays attention to how I dress or smell. "I could sometimes help you with it, if that's the issue."

"You wanna' help me shower and all that stuff? Totally lewd, Noire."

"Pfft, as if you wouldn't want me in one of those situations."

"Eh… you might be right. I can't be the only one, though?"

"Nah, you aren't," I answer, the conversation seeming completely ordinary nowadays. During times like these, we'd decided we wouldn't hide _anything_ from one another, and quickly realized we had a lot of restrained interest in one another – but we both agreed that it'd probably be for the best that we don't make anything out of it. Not for a while, at least. I won't complain – knowing she cares and feels the way she does is really reassuring and comforting, and I'm pretty sure she feels the same way.

"Y'wanna' explore it?" she offers, looking up at me, and I snort.

"Meh, you feel like getting up?"

"…Nah."

"Then you have my answer," I remark, and we both laugh. She leans forward, grabbing the remote to set in my hands as the game boots up, the two of us watching with interest as it loads…

" _Ah, hyanh!~ Hello, breastless heroine! Surely, even one such as you can help Leanbox in…"_

"…Noire."

"Yeah, I'll have a talk with the creators later. And maybe we should talk to Vert about voicing this herself. Is the avatar Blanc?"

We skip through the dialogue, waiting until we get into the open world adventure, and sure enough – brownish-blonde hair, tiny, tiny body, and a constantly angry, somewhat unattractive face; a direct stab at Blanc. Just as we discover this, Neptune quits the game, popping it out while setting it back in its box, setting it on the floor beside us as we exchange looks, and then sigh.

"I don't know what we expected," I remark, and Neptune nods. "Made by… the _Oppai Group, Inc._ I should've known."

"I want a bigger chest," Neptune grumbles, and I pet her head comfortingly.

"You have one that only loses to Vert when you transform, so don't feel bad. You're not Blanc."

"…Urrrrgh. You're right, but still – you never have any problems."

"I also don't grow, though."

"…Touché."

Things go quiet again, and I fish a battle game out of the pile above our heads without looking. Holding it in front of us, Neptune reads it off for me as I yawn. "Ultimate Uzume Fighters: Sega-Stars Victory… plus."

"What do you think they even mean with names like these?"

"Hell if I know, Noire. You're the one with these games coming out under your console's releases."

"Want me to talk about some of those 'retro' games you love so much? 'Dogoo Man's Revenge' ring a bell?"

"Uuugh, don't remind me. That game was so controversial, and gross – even for me. We almost had an international dispute over it."

"Well, considering the company made the… girl… look like Vert, I couldn't blame her."

"How was I supposed to know that the _Justice Frontier_ wasn't just a cool name?"

"…I dunno'; it _does_ sound better than _Oppai Group_. Ugh."

"So, should I plug this in? Ah, I should uninstall that Vert game."

"Sure, why not. Pass me a controller while you're at it, would you?" I ask, and she smirks.

"You want to fight the master?"

I roll my eyes. "You're not _that_ good. I even have to let you win sometimes so you don't throw a fit."

She fakes a gasp. "You mean those victories were all fake?! Noire, how could you?!"

"Keh, keh, keh. All according to keikaku."

We both go quiet again as it downloads, and I continue to just gently run my hands through Neptune's scalp. She sighs comfortably, sliding into my lap while leaning back, adjusting and rubbing against me while in an attempt to get comfortable.

"Hey, you're moving too much," I state, and she shrugs.

"I don't think you hate it _that_ much. Planeptune has the best butts, after all."

"I _swear_ you've got such a big head for such a petite body. Be grateful that I tolerate your constant bragging."

"Or else what? You'll tickle me until I die?"

"Why would I kill you? I'd screw myself over if I did that."

"Y'think? I wouldn't mind dying in your arms."

"…Eh, okay, that one scored some points. I'm even a little flustered," I explain, shaking my head – or basically dragging my chin back and forth over the top of her head. She chuckles, snuggling closer – the download bar only ten percent of the way through. "Must be a hell of a game, huh?"

"…Probably. Or it just has a lot of fanservice."

"Hopefully nothing too extreme."

"Meh, it'll never be as bad as Lowee and Leanbox are putting out against one another. We don't have the same problems those two do."

"True. Ah, you decided to not wear _anything_ under your top _and_ your bottom?" I note, her lower body even warmer and more defined on my legs. "That's really perverted, Nep."

"Pffft. It's just laziness."

"Shoulda' known."

We say nothing, mindlessly observing the bar slowly fill. Fourteen percent now. We now pass the time by her trying to wiggle on me, making me as uncomfortable as possible. Truthfully, she won from the very beginning – and I admit this, much to her satisfaction, but I pay her back by embarrassedly running my hands up and down her thighs, which shuts her up pretty much instantly.

"You're as nervous about crossing the line as I am, so don't give me crap about being easily flustered," I admonish her, and she laughs awkwardly while shrugging innocently. "You're not playing it off like that, you giant tease. I _swear_ I'll make you pay tenfold for all of the embarrassment you cause me."

"Even the stuff I do when we're in public?"

"Twentyfold then. Ah, you did a good job playing off me accidentally bumping into you today. I don't think Vert nor Blanc have noticed anything weird in our hangouts yet."

"Do you think they'd even care?" she asks, and I tilt my head, feeling obligated to say no. I shake my head so she can feel my answer, and she shrugs. "It's not like they'd really get in our way. I don't have anything going on with them behind the scenes, do you, Noire—ah, wait, you're my cute little puppy, following me around. Of course not."

I pinch her hip, blowing gently into her ear as she yelps, her entire body contorting. "You were saying?"

"Ow, ow, ow, how can you make me shiver and feel pain simultaneously?! That's just cruel!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm cruel and evil."

"Well, you said it so… Ahn! Ow ow ow! Stoooop!"

"Idiot. Nice lewd sound there."

She goes quiet after this statement, and we just end up watching the bar fill the rest of the way. It takes… another long-ass time, but I guess the game's worth it. As the bar hits 100% and the screen changes, I raise my controller to get ready.

"Hey, Neptune, who'll you… Eh?" I trail off, noticing she's _passed out_. Ah, now her lack of a reply makes sense. I sit and watch the screen light up and play all of its loud noises, a sudden sense of boredom overcoming me. "Why the hell would I play this by myself…?" I mumble to myself, looking down at her and then my controller.

So much for a game-night.

* * *

 **And that's that, for this one. It's pretty tame, and pretty uneventful - but I like to think that when they're not on screen, they'd probably have moments like this in certain dimensions or universes. Like one without candidates, in the Superdimension, or something.**

 **Ah, hell, don't question it so much. T_T Just accept it.**

 **I'll have something grander for the next post. Not knowing what they say played a bit part in making it difficult. And if someone could give me an artist name so I can give credit and heap praise on them, I'd much appreciate it. :D**

 **(And once again; nmccwss for any of you wanting to see their stuff and maybe some translations to this stuff like I have wanted to. ;D Give props to chaos and that wondrous random guest citizen for their wise Nepoire knowledge - or offer them internet hugs. Do both. And then let's all love the artwork. Yes.)**

 **Noire with her hair down is in the top five of sexiest things ever. I could also say that the other four also involve her, maybe with Neps. Maybe not.**

if it isn't obvious who my favorite goddess is after all this time, i'm so sorry everyone

If I don't post anything else by the early morning, I wish all of you a good night and-slash-or a great morning, and hope your time ends up pleasant and fruitful. :D I'll see some of ya' tomorrow with whatever comes next. I have a couple ideas from talking to pardus, so those might be next if this next fan-art idea blows up in my face beforehand!

Tainted out!~


	31. Shot 31! Shareless

**:)**

* * *

Today marks a new day – a day full of adventure, success, hard work, and comradery; the sweet scene of friends working in conjunction, fighting side-by-side to right wrongs and put down dangerous beasts in the name of a unified Gamindustri. Heroes – the patron CPUs, the leaders, the closest of allies, knit together as the sturdiest wall, to prove to their citizens that they have nothing to fear from the endless onslaught of enemies knocking at our doors. Nothing will ever defeat us, nothing will wring our lives from our necks, and nothing will break us.

Or so I want to say – so we painted it when we all discussed it at a meeting – or in reality, a game night. We were to begin our crusade of all things evil and sinister, to set examples for our populace while our sisters, the Candidates, would do the same. And yet… _And yet…_

"Where the _hell_ are Blanc and Vert?!" I shout, startling Neptune who ended up passing out against a tree while waiting with me. I've got my arms crossed in front of my chest as I impatiently stamp my foot, sighing in aggravation as I raise a hand, scratching my scalp irritably. "What the _hell_?!"

Neptune winces, holding her hands to her ears. "Owww, owowow, Noire. Relax. It's not like getting upset about being stood up should be _that_ new to you." I shoot her a disinterested glare, and she shivers and averts her eyes, whistling. I'm _not_ finding it funny.

We wait another ten minutes, the lazy Planeptune CPU dozing again – the shade covering her upper body while the sun coats her legs and lower body. She's actually rather pretty like that, which is a shame since she's usually nothing but teasing, jokes, and laziness most days. And yet, she's the one that's here, as always, waiting beside me for _those_ two.

I sigh, fishing my phone out of my pocket, dialing Uni. Lifting the phone to my ear, I listen to the ringing while fuming, waiting… _Click._ There we go. The call connects as Uni puts the phone to her ear as well, Nepgear fretting over something in the background.

"…Big sister?" Uni starts, pausing before sighing. "…Are Blanc and Vert…?"

" _Nope._ Rom and Ram?" I respond, our conversations as curt as always – a shame, but I don't think _either_ of us are all that happy right now. At least if she answers like I expect.

"They… told us that they were running late, since they were trying to get Blanc motivated, and, well…"

"So, just you and Nepgear?"

"…Yeah. And you and that lazy idiot? No, Nepgear, I'm not going to be nice."

"Seems so. Well, I guess we can make due with two pairs, still – though it kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?" I grumble, turning on my foot to observe Neptune again – the sight of her relaxing me somewhat, even if it also irritates me. "…Work carefully, alright? Keep me posted, and if anything happens…"

"…Big sister, yes, of course – but Nepgear and I should be fine, too."

"…If you say so." The call ends like that, and now I grumble. "Now to rouse this idiot…," I mutter, walking toward her. Crouching down beside her, I narrow my eyes with skeptical admiration. Her head's not even in a comfortable angle and she's already drooling. _This_ is my best friend? I need new friends. "Hey, Neptune," I say softly, but she just snorts, her hands cupping the grass – a fact that somewhat embarrasses me, though I can't necessarily explain why. "Nep, tuuuune," I try again as she shuts her eyes tighter, mumbling about food and… squishy things. My face reddening a bit, I now raise my hand, pinching her cheek harshly between my thumb and finger as she suddenly jolts awake, squealing in pain.

"Owwwwww!~ My cheehk! Nowerrrr…" I release her, smirking in satisfaction as she rubs the spot with slightly teary eyes. If I don't get to improve our reputations out of this, I might as well enjoy trying to play with Neptune a little in the same way she embarrasses me when we're all in a group together. A little payback is due, isn't it? Heheheh. "Owww… why'd you do that to lil' old me?"

"Seems we're making it a… d-date, more than anything," I say, sighing. I fumbled that. "Get your ass up; we have a lot more ground to cover now that our other two party members decided to stiff us."

"Uuugh… Noire's gone full taskmaster mode…," she whines to an invisible party ahead of her, and I roll my eyes. I make a show of reaching for her ear, but she squeals and hops to her feet, holding her hands up in surrender. "I give, I give! No more! Ah, that sounds like Noire," she remarks, and I plant my face squarely in my palm.

"Why do I even bother…?" I mutter, sighing. "Alright, let's get to work – people will start getting up to start their daily routines, so we need to make some rounds through the space between you and I's lands first. When things are squarely safe around Planeptune and Lastation, _then_ we can worry about wasting our time in Lowee and Leanbox – showing them both up."

Neptune eyes me with slightly afraid eyes, asking nervously, "Noiiire… are you really that upset that they stood ya' up?"

"Me? Upset? Never, Neptune.~ And they didn't 'stand me up;' they're shirking their duties. Your bad habits are rubbing off," I counter, starting to walk toward the forests outside of the city limits. We decided to meet up in Lastation since it's an easier center-point for us than Planeptune, but apparently, that didn't matter.

A day with just Neptune and I isn't so bad, but then again, it _is_ Neptune, so expecting all that much out of her isn't really fair. It isn't like we'd… do anything romantic, either, but at least hanging out together while getting our jobs done as Goddesses is good. Wait, _at least_? Haah.

"Hey, hey, I'm being more responsible lately! I'll have ya' know that I haven't stood ya' up _once_ in the last two months!" she states proudly, beaming, and I narrow my eyes.

"That's either due to Histoire giving herself ulcers again, or because your Shares are now dangerously low. The question is… which one." She winces, laughing nervously, and I sigh. "If you put us in a bad spot simply because you're paying the price for your lazy ways, I _swear_ I'll… do something."

I wouldn't ever leave her behind or ditch her, but it _is_ obnoxious.

Neptune grins, running over, closing the distance between us as we walk to hug me from behind, chirping happily while rubbing her cheek on mine. "Hahaha, Noire, I _knew_ ya' wouldn't leave me behind!~"

Too close, too close! "G-get off me, already, will you?!"

She chuckles playfully, sliding off of me while stretching, rolling her shoulders with a surprisingly determined look on her face. Ah, she even brought her sword for once – the spare I have strapped to my right hip was unnecessary for once. "I'll show ya' just how serious I am, though! I'll just shine right on and put everyone to shame!"

"…There's only two of us," I comment, though she seems to ignore this statement, and I hang my head tiredly. "It's going to be like this all day, isn't it…?"

From the get-go, we run into an excess population of dogoos and cardbirds plaguing the farmers' lands near the main road between our cities. While I have no problems cutting apart either or – from constantly doing this in my own time, if I were to be honest – Neptune has a bit more difficulty keeping up, though her combat prowess is as real as always. She just has no stamina, I'd say.

Now that I think of it, my Shares are over the halfway mark for the overall population of Gamindustri – faith in Lastation is at an all-time high, and we're soon going to break a world record for the highest recorded percentage of all-time; a record already held by us at seventy-two percent… But that's beside the point. What's really making me wonder, is where are the other three's percentages at?

"Ah- _hah_!" Neptune exclaims, drawing me from my thoughts as I notice an oversized dogoo bearing down on us. I raise an eyebrow, watching the reckless spiky-haired heroine dash toward it, despite panting a few moments ago, as she backhands it with her blade – the massive thing skirting backward as it makes a strangely human sound of pained objection.

The creatures of this world are so weird, I swear.

Watching the two square off, I exhale in dismay. Her Shares must be dangerously low for her to be showing fatigue as it is – so I might as well help her. Drawing my blade again, I dash forward after her, focusing some of my energy into my weapon. "…Huhhhp!" I grunt, swinging it in a horizontal arc as I allow the energy to discharge, turning into a crescent-shaped projectile. It dices through the dogoo, causing the creature to pixelate into nothingness before our eyes.

"…THE GAME'S UNBALANCED!" Neptune suddenly exclaims, pointing her finger at me with accusatory eyes. "GAMESHARK CONFIRMED!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask, chuckling quietly. Maybe this is one of her good points – she's always got _something_ interesting to blurt out, regardless of the time or place. And when she wants to, I know she can be a pretty great friend, so I'll cut her _some_ slack.

"Why are you so much more overpowered than me?! Quick! What's your starter Nepamon?!"

"…Neptune," I pause, narrowing my eyes. "When was the last time you were in a combat situation?"

"…Last time Histy chased me out of Planeptune and you were too busy? I had to go bum with Blanc and Vert while they tried to work. It was _so lonely!_ "

Ah. Now it makes sense. Their absence.

"…You realize your energy as a Goddess diminishes if you don't utilize it regularly, right?"

"…Huh?"

"…Yeah. Well, this is a very educational journey. Alright, I'll play vanguard for the tougher stuff, but _you're_ going to be handling the easier stuff en masse now. Let's get you back up to speed."

"…Uuuugh. My poor little body isn't cut out for this… My games…," she grumbles as we continue, though she doesn't try to flee – a good sign that satisfies me enough to not feel a need to berate her.

"It's not too bad, spending time like this," I mumble a little while after, her neck curling backward for her to look back at me while we walk. I smile softly at her, and she smirks back, snorting.

"It's alright, though I'd prefer we go eat snacks and…"

"Firmly opposed."

"Damn."

We continue on, systematically clearing away various groups of monsters that we stumble across, the fatigue becoming noticeably apparent on Neptune's face and body as time passes – it's only been two hours, but she's already like this. Maybe I'll be nice…

"Hey, Neptune, since my feet are starting to get a little uncomfortable – you want to take a short break and eat? I brought some lunch," I remark with a closed eye, studying her reaction.

She, unsurprisingly, freezes up and looks over at me with the happiest eyes one could have – a slave looking at their savior, maybe, or how a dog looks at their owner? Hard to say. Regardless, she pumps her fist upward, cheering. "I accept! You're the best, Noire!"

I smile softly, the praise feeling a lot warmer than how she probably meant it, but… it's still nice to interpret it as I please. We find a small clearing in the forest, settling down as I tug a small picnic blanket and the couple of boxes of adequately-healthy snacks out of the backpack that I had slung over my shoulder.

"Ohhh, so _that's_ what that was for," Neptune remarks, eagerly eyeing the food. "You're really meticulous as always, I see."

"Yeah, I try – someone has to stay on top of things for you guys constantly, so it might as well be me. Here, take this one – I'll hold onto the other one for another stop later since you'll probably get hungry again before I do. But," I pause, fishing two water bottles out, as well, while handing her one. "I'll take some water for myself, at least."

She quickly undoes the bindings sealing the box, smiling softly at the contents after she opens it. "It's not pudding, but it'll do."

I snort. "It better, since it's homemade."

Her eyes widen as she looks at me. "Really? It looks really good! Good job, Noire! Plus twenty to wifeability score!"

I roll my eyes, sighing. "Yeah, yeah. Just start eating – we _do_ have a lot more to do today, still, Neptune," I remind her, taking a gentle sip of my water. "And, remember to stay hydrated – it'll get hotter as the day goes on."

She nods, swallowing. "Good idea, here, lemme' have some," she says, swiping my bottle as she takes a huge swig – much to my flustered horror – before handing me it again. She cocks her head, stuffing more food into her mouth. "Whhaaht?"

"Y-you just… Damn it Neptune, you're… Ugh," I start, but quickly force myself to simmer down and just remain silent. I grab her water bottle that she seems to have forgotten about, stuffing it back into my pack as I stare at mine in a daze. Lips… Uuugh.

"It'sh fine, ishn't it?~" she manages out with her cheeks full, her tone obviously playful and _very_ aware of the position she just put me in.

I'll pay her back for this. I swear it. Doing my best to pretend the bright red on my face doesn't exist, I swallow my resolve and take another drink from the bottle before setting the small bit left aside. In the back of my mind, one word comes to mind from all of this – _warm._

Watching her finish, I take the box back and set it under the other one, sorting through the pack for ease of access again, stifling the movement of the two boxes once more with the first water bottle while now also moving the medical supplies I had stowed away around to act as buffers as well.

I suppose it'll do. I stare at the opened water bottle with soft reluctance, debating what to do with it, but decide in the long run to just carry it with me until she gets thirsty again – whenever that'll be. She can finish it off. I don't have it in me to drink from it a third time, now.

"…Ready to get moving?" I say, coughing to shove my embarrassment away into a closet again. She smiles, hopping to her feet after stretching. I made sure to take long enough to allow the food to settle in her stomach, some, but with how careless and active she is… I can only hope that she holds it down.

"Mm! Let's get to work!" she chirps, taking the initiative to lead us now while I follow behind her as an overseer and chaperone more than anything now. When did this become feeling like a babysitting mission, I wonder? Ah, wait. That was… like five or six minutes ago. Silly me.

"Know where we're going next?" I ask, and she nods, pointing on ahead. "Correct. You're apparently not bad with directions. Who knew."

"That's mean, Noire!~" she responds, pouting at me, and I smirk but say nothing. "Why ya' gotta' be so ruuuude…"

My phone begins ringing, judging by the vibration going on in my over-coat's pocket. Neptune eyes me with strange eyes as it vibrates, and I fish it out from against my stomach as I press the answer button, lifting it to my ear.

"Yes, hello? This is Noire…"

"H-hello, Miss Noire!" an overly formal and respectful younger sister of Neptune nervously exclaims from over the line. I raise an eyebrow as Neptune seems to hear her too, turning to approach me so we can both listen.

"Ah, hello, Nepgear," I say. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah, uhm, y-yes, actually. Uni… t-tripped and sprained her ankle while trying to help me, I'm so sorry!" she suddenly apologizes, her voice getting louder. I wince and turn my head away from the phone, Neptune chuckling quietly about something. "I… um…"

"Well, I can't say that it doesn't happen – is that why she won't call me herself? It'll require you two stopping for the time being?"

"Y-yes, that's right," she says, and it occurs to me that her voice sounds flustered more than worried, but maybe I'm mishearing things.

"Alright – just try and get her home and stay out of trouble, then. Neptune and I are going to continue our sweep, so we'll be back later after everything is said and done. Good work until now, girls. Got anything to say, Neptune?"

"Be gentle, Nep Jr.!" she shouts, and I hear static through the phone before it abruptly ends, and I narrow my eyes on Neptune. She shrugs, laughing. "I dunno'.~"

"I don't _want_ to know, I think," I mutter, pretending that multiple answers have not occurred to me about this conversation just now.

We continue onward, not saying anything after that for a little while. Neptune continues on ahead, lackadaisically pressing forward while whistling, and I stare at her skeptically. Does she know something I don't know…?

"Hey, Neptune…"

"…Hm? Hai, Neptune desu."

"…Anyway. I wanted to ask about…"

"Eh, don't worry about it. Knowing those two, I'm sure Nep Jr. will nurse her back to full health."

"…Eh?" Maybe I overthought it, and she was just playing like usual. Yeah, our sisters wouldn't do _that_. Well, I don't think I'd be terribly distraught if they did, but if Uni lied just to hide it… _then_ yes, it _would_ be a problem.

Once again, we get back into the thick of things – or rather, I stand off, leaning against something with mild disinterest as I observe Neptune squaring off with various monsters of the land – avians, dogoo, slime, dragons, beasts, etcetera. She's still got it, but once again, I notice she's tiring out relatively quickly – faster than last time. It's not bizarre, since breaks only do so much, but it occurs to me…

I could pay her back in full with this, and maybe _more_ , if I decide to be merciless.

I think back on the countless times she's embarrassed me or playfully flustered me for her own amusement, the times too plentiful to even estimate a number on – hence the word, 'countless.' Smooth, me. But anyway, watching as she pants, wiping the sweat from her brow, I smirk.

It'll be embarrassing, but _oh_ so worth it.

"…H-hey… Noire… Can we take another…?" she starts to ask, but I shake my head. Be strong, me.

"Let's keep moving – we have to make up for lost time. C'mon, head that way. I'll hop in if things get too severe," I say flatly, gesturing. If I recall, I know where this direction leads.

"…Uugh… so cruel," she grumbles, trudging onward. I smile softly, staring at her – _maybe_ there's a bit of an interested spark between us. I don't hate Neptune – on the contrary, I like her a lot. Maybe in a lot of ways. And the way that conversation with our sisters just went, with _these_ thoughts… I can't help but feel a sudden playful urge.

We continue on in silence, Neptune's movements getting sluggish as she wipes her forehead again. Up ahead is a clearing – a place I often visit simply because it's quiet and peaceful, and neither monsters nor people visit it, ever. I grin.

"Is it… soon?" she asks, and I nod as we arrive at the clearing's edge. She gulps, looking around for something, _anything_ , but sees nothing. "…Eh? Are they hiding?"

"Dunno'; let's check it out. C'mon, keep it up. I'll give you a break soon if this place turns out to be clear."

"…Allllriiiight," she grumbles, proceeding into the clearing – and as expected, nothing appears. Alright, HDD… engage. "Huh, there's nothing here… Huh? Noire, why are you transforming? Do ya' see something?"

As the light fades from around me, I look around, nodding. "I do."

"Ah, crap, where is… eh?!" she suddenly cuts off as I quickly close the distance between us, pushing her down into the grass while grabbing her outfit – it's surprisingly helpful that she wears these unzippable oversized hoodies. "Ah?! N-Noire?!"

I chuckle as I unzip the hoodie, tugging it off her – all that's left is that thin purple undershirt and her shorts…

"What're ya'…?!"

"What's it look like, you dumbass?" I say, feeling far more confident in this form – good thing I have _plenty_ of Shares to spare. Even the redness on my cheeks feels like nothing right now; if I consider this payback for her always flustering me, and interpret it as a competition to beat her in…

"…Waaah! B-but, takin' advantage of a helpless lil' Nep is a crime! A crime!"

I scoff. "As if you don't deserve it – you're always slacking off, and since you always intentionally flirt with me like this, I don't see the problem. And I was right – no real accumulation of Shares, huh?" I point out as I strip her with ease, keeping her pinned with one hand. I gulp, noticing things about her I never expected. Honestly… mmh.~

"I… I give, I give!" she shouts, and I smirk.

"It's too late for that.~"

* * *

 **Credit to this idea comes from a semi-NSFW Ge-B excerpt. At least, I believe - the style is almost identical and the tastiness-level is top-notch. Normally, I'd post a link to the image, but I'm not gonna' do that in case someone gets upset - it _does_ contain a little nudity of a Neptune, and she isn't exactly the most adult-looking character. Maybe lewding the Neploli is bad.**

 **I had fun with this. :D**

 **If you want to find more tasty Nepoire stuff, go support Ge-B and look at their work. Some of it's on display - and most of it is _hella'_ good. The rest? Memorably wondrous. AKA - Ge-B needs to be noticed by the CPUs, personally. Definitively.**

I hope I don't get into any trouble for mentioning stuff like this - if people don't like writing of their work or recognition for it, albeit a really weird concept, I'll accept this fact and take stuff down if need be. 'Till then - enjoy the slow expansion of my twists on various pieces of fan-art.

Tainted out!~

Ah, right. Since it's morning for me - good morning, everyone.~ The next post might take most of the day 'till late tonight; it's a semi-lengthy idea that Pardus and I discussed. They're also a really cool person, so the next one's props go to them. :D Hint - even Noires can get the psychotic, iconic heart eyes.~

Or are they identified by the shaded upper face? Who knows!


	32. (Temporary) Shot 32: Broken Bonds

**Hello, hello! Tainted here. New update - I'm just going to toss this into my one-shots and call it quits. This started off with wonderful aspirations and an excellent idea, but I've quickly lost my pep to continue it the way I wish for it to go, currently. It all came about with the interesting idea of a Yandere Black Heart from an awesome person (pardus9). Unfortunately, I don't know if this story could do the idea any justice, as my direction kept shifting as my mood changed throughout the last three days, and toward the end - today, the final day of the three, I've lost the specific plot-points that were to define the last 45% of it. So, instead, I will post this as it's own entity with the promise that I will eventually come back to give it a fresh, clean slate, taking this as a learning curve.**

 **I'll discuss more of what I mean at the bottom. The only things I feel necessary to state before you delve into reading it are:**

 **-This became a convoluted, somewhat bizarre love triangle between Plutia, Neptune, and Noire. Unfortunately, in my attempt to portray both Plutia and Noire as obsessed and borderline yandere psychopaths, I may have degraded their characters and, simply, flopped on what could have been a good concept. Positive note of this? I'm going to take a crack at upholding that Yandere Black Heart with the next lighter, shorter update that will follow this tomorrow as I begin doing my normal thing again. You're warned - Plutia's kinda-sorta the bad guy.**

 **-This has spanned three days, like I said. I've had random personal matters blow up in my face, some bad news regarding the elder of my two cats (meaning the day she goes in to be put down, more specifically, which I will cover at the bottom), and I've just had a lot of mood-shifts and whatnot in between everything. I've lost track and lost my way frequently while writing this; this will probably be noticeable in specific areas.**

 **-I've made a good few mistakes while working on this. I'm even more sure as I scan over it, but leaving it without submitting it would mean I've wasted three days, and would waste the ability for feedback on places that I might genuinely learn from. Certain areas are very weak; I'm aware. I don't have the drive left to tack on an extra day fixing this, yet. I'd rather dabble in other story concepts and come back fresh to tackle this again at a later time, without just changing certain paragraphs and excerpts. That looks weird when you do it with stuff like this.**

 **Still. It wasn't a bad story in theory, and it isn't too bad for a crack at a love triangle. I'll cover my personal feelings more below. Give it a shot - if you can't stomach it, that's fine.**

* * *

I yawn, tears forming at the creases in my eyes as I raise a hand to block my mouth, my shoulders relaxing comfortably. Blinking them away as I finish, I thrust an arm in the air, grabbing the elbow with my other hand as I stretch, the feeling both pleasant and unpleasant. Licking my lips, I survey the town with mild boredom, wondering what I can get into for the time being. It's a fair question, since Histy blew a gasket and just _flipped, out,_ today, chasing me out of the Basilicom in a hefty rage. The problem? I don't know what to do, and as it _actually_ turns out, there's no Guild quests for me to take, even if I _wanted_ to appease her.

Which, I do – don't get me wrong, me, but what's a girl supposed to do?

So, here I am, pacing around without the faintest idea on what I'm going to get involved in. I woke up in a kind of mellow mood, though I can't put my finger on that, either. The woes of it all! I shake my head, grinning softly while thinking of my statement as I ponder any witty jokes I can stem from it, though this quickly appears to be a futile effort.

Not that I expected any different – I'm not on my A-game today, and it's showing through. Though, I don't think it'll matter – I'm not seeing anyone I recognize today, and all of the usual places I frequent seem to be closing down as soon as I approach – no doubt a consequence of facing Histy's wrath. I sigh, scratching the back of my head with a frown; how am I going to solve this…?

Maybe I can try asking around town if people need help. I decide to start this theory by exploring the city's streets in hopes of finding someone in peril or needing help – even so much as speaking to people directly while inquiring if everything's alright. Still nothing – not a single person actually needs assistance.

Haaah, I suppose I should have seen this coming one of these days – she'd _definitely_ eventually snap. I just didn't expect it so soon – the repairs from the whole 'Seven Sages' and Rei Ryghts fiasco has only recently been amended, so everyone's in high spirits and cooperation throughout the world is at an all-time high. I think most of the funding came from Noire, to be fair, but Planeptune's as stubborn as I am, so with the materials she got us from various companies, we got things rolling without needing to ask for much more than that.

I should actually go thank her for that, sometime. She's always working so hard and she's still always finding time to help me out when I'm in a pinch – she's a great friend. I wonder what she's been up to, lately? We haven't talked in a little while, and it… gets kinda' lonely without her. I mean, yeah, sure, I'll tease her about being the lonely one, but it's not an exclusive feeling designated to only her; things feel a lot less fun when I'm not around her – kinda' like Blanc and Vert, who are also even more distant lately, but… more so? I wonder if I'm making any sense to myself, since I don't feel like I am.

Ah, whatever. Alright, chin up, Nep! Let's try asking around again! Nodding to myself, I set off to make another pass…

…And turn up with nothing, still. Uuugh, why is trying to be a good CPU so hard, suddenly?! Is this karmic retribution for deciding to skimp out for the last… however long? Ah, crap, I don't even know how long I've been sluffing. Maybe that's a bad sign, or maybe it isn't – the world hasn't gone to hell just because I take things easy, huh?

Somewhat demotivated now, I trudge over to one of the benches lining the streets, plopping down in it as I sigh aloud. Nothing to be done about all of it now, I guess – it's what it is, and I should be happy rather than troubled that my people aren't in need of anything. Deciding to go ahead and tell myself this, I lay back my head and close my eyes, thinking a nap might be an okay second choice for the time being…

But, hark! Someone approaches the Nep… Could it be the legendary… Delphinus?!

I open my eyes, noticing her red eyes before anything else – they're brighter than scarlet, but deeper than crimson. They're trembling slightly – a fact that never goes unnoticed by me personally. Her face is soft and well-shaped; almost as if sculpted into the picture of an ideal goddess. Her hair – two giant waterfalls of raven hair held up by frilly ribbons with a little fluffy overflow hanging in front of her eyes. Ah, that's Noire.

I quickly hop to my feet, and she blinks in surprise as I whirl around, grinning. "Noire! I was just thinkin' about ya'," I state, pleased about her arrival. I shouldn't have to be bored now, at the very least. I wonder what she was doing in Planeptune, though? Did we have releases scheduled for today? Or is it development? Or, could~ it~ be~ _me~_?

"A-ah, um, good morning, Neptune," she says, seeming more timid than usual. I raise an eyebrow, surprised – she's sometimes shy, but not so shy that she can't greet me without stuttering. Maybe she has an embarrassing secret to hide, or something… Hmm…

"Toppa'-tha'-mornin'-to-ya', too! What brings you to the fine city of Planeptune, mademoiselle?" I ask, overexaggerating a bow. She chuckles, rolling her eyes. Now _that_ 's more normal!

"You're such a dope," she remarks, and I shrug with a satisfied grin. She pauses, scanning over the streets with curious eyes. "I just came to, uh, say hello. We haven't talked in a while, so since Lastation's evolving well, again, I figured I'd take a brief respite from it all and see how you guys were doing. Everything looks great again, though it doesn't seem any different from before the entire ordeal."

I snort, shrugging again. "I can't vouch for my populace as a whole, but evolving when we're doing just fine seems silly, y'know?"

"Upgrading to play more games and have a wider variety is silly? Wow," she whistles sarcastically, and I purse my lips. She got me there. She moves toward the bench, pulling up the left side, so I in turn take the right as she scratches her cheek. "You've… uh, got a lot of activity today, huh?"

"Yeah, everyone's busy, but not in need of any help or anything. Histy chased me out of the Basilicom, insisting I do something productive or I'm not allowed back. Can ya' believe it?!"

She raises her eyebrows, yet her expression is totally unimpressed. "That explains so many things about why I ran into you here. Well, I guess it's fine, since, well…"

I tilt my head, peering at her in interest. "You wanna' let me bum at your place for the day?!" I blurt out, grinning. She pauses, seemingly having been ready to say something, but decides not to as she rubs the back of her neck.

"I… guess that works. I was gonna' say something else, but sure. We can head back to Lastation for the time being."

I smile, nodding. "You can tell me along the way, then!" I hop to my feet, again, spinning around with a bit more energy. "Hoorah, I'm able to relax again.~"

She rolls her eyes, rising to her feet as well, stretching – the way she raises her hands while they're balled into little fists over her head reminding me of a cat – before she rolls her shoulders. "Alright, let's get going, then."

"Mm! I'll lead," I decree, setting off at once. She quickly matches my stride, our pace comfortably fast but not too exhausting as I soak in the city around us some more as we move. "Planeptune really is one heck of a stubborn city," I remark softly, beaming. It's only in the biggest trials that it really shines, but the people here are the kindest, most dedicated people I've met. It really does make me feel like working hard for them, now that I think about it.

"Yeah, it really is, isn't it?" Noire replies, her lips upturned as well. "You guys have a heck of a track record when it comes to withstanding copious amounts of damage, I notice. Maybe it's because they all learned from their hard-headed Goddess and all the trouble she tends to cause?" she teases, and I laugh, shaking my head.

"They learned that persevering is the greatest of all virtues, because their Goddess is the best role model, duh!"

"Pffft, _best role model._ That's pretty good, Neptune. You should go into comedy."

"Hey, don't brush it aside so nonchalantly! That's cruel!" I squint my eyes at her, and she shrugs me off. "Ah, y'wanna' brush off the Nepper, too?! Don't underestimate me!~" I exclaim, wrapping my arms around her waist before she can react, hugging her. As expected, she suddenly freezes up and begins stuttering as her face heats up, and I laugh softly.

"H-hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she grumbles, wiggling in my arms as I nuzzle her side, grinning. "P-people are watching!"

"Let them watch!~ If a hug between friends is so wrong, then I don't want to be right!" She suddenly stiffens again as she stops fighting back, and I blink. Looking up at her, I notice her expression changed a little, and instinctively, "Hey, what gives, Queen of Tsun?"

She suddenly wakes up from wherever she went, shaking her head slightly as she reels, looking down at me. "…Eh? Ah. Uh, nothing. I just got caught up thinking about something – that's all."

"Hrm… I'll let ya' off the hook for now, but don't think I'm done with you, yet, Missy," I say, admonishing her gently. She breathes out through her nose in an amused manner – yeah, I'm just gonna' call it snorting – as her attention lingers on me. I lean to the side slightly, looking up at her. "Whatcha' thinkin' about?"

"…Eh, nothing much. Though, while we walk – I wanted to ask," she starts, setting off for Lastation again. I make a sound of indifference at her shrugging my question off, but trail after her anyway. Wonder what went on inside her head?

"What's up, Twintail Ranger?" I ask, and she sighs.

"You're so retarded sometimes. But, I was just gonna' ask, uh, if you wanted to hang out together, tomorrow. I'll be free, so I figured I'd ask you before I make any plans," she explains, scratching her cheek while eyeing me from the corner of her eye.

"Hmmm… I don't plan on doing much, and since I've got no plans, I'll take ya' up on that offer! When ya' thinkin'?" I inquire, and she shrugs, shaking her head back and forth.

"I'm not, uh, too sure. Maybe around eleven or twelve? That way, you've got time to tell me if anything comes up, too, right?" she suggests, and I contemplate it for a minute…

I mean, yeah, I don't really think anything would come up, but she has a point – maybe Nep Jr. will need my expert advice or maybe I'll have a way to make amends with Histy when I get up. I glance back at her, and she looks a little flustered but hopeful. I purse my lips.

"Hmm… I'll say yeah, but I might run a little late if Nep Jr. or Histy need something, okay?" I reply, and she nods, her expression Noire'ifying again.

"That's fair – I wouldn't want to get in the way of stuff like that, but you'll promise to make an attempt? If something comes up, you'll call me so I'm not just waiting around for nothing?" she asks, and I wonder for a moment whether this is more than just a hangout. Though, with Noire, it's hard to tell what's more and what's just her being socially awkward.

"Mm… Yeah! I think I have your number… if I have a phone," I reply, and she squints her eyes at me. I shift uncomfortably, checking my hoodie, narrowing my eyes as her attention grows skeptical. "Ah, um, uh… I lost it?"

"Do you remember if you even _have_ a phone?"

"…Maybe?" I reply sheepishly, and she sighs.

"…I'll get you one when we hit Lastation, so…"

I interrupt her, somewhat unsure. "Nah, um, don't worry about it. I'll go ahead and check my Basilicom before I make ya' do that for me – coulda' sworn I had something like that. Little flippy thing that makes noise if you play with the ringtones, right?"

"…Uh, yeah, let's go with that," she says, her expression looking at me like I'm something pitiful suddenly. "Alright, I guess. So, you're heading back, then…?"

"Yeah, I think I'll pray to the Goddess that Histy's less Pissty while I look for it. I'll catch ya' later, alright? We can meet up here?"

"…Yeah, I'll come over here and walk around, or something."

"Alright, that works! I'll catch ya' soon, Noire!" I chirp, pivoting on my heel as I wave to her, quickly heading off. I _know_ I have one of those things around somewhere. I remember thinking it was useless because it didn't really have any games and it died super fast, but maybe I just had some weird misconception about it. Hopefully I can find it!

Now to perfect the rolling dogeza and prepare to swallow a rant. I mean, I technically tried my best to be helpful, right? My people are content and they have faith in me still, so it should be fine… hopefully.

Tromping into the Basilicom, the guards offer me wary looks, and I bid each one a happy greeting – their spirits uplifting instantly. It's kind of flattering to see them brighten right up, though it doesn't change the fact that the final boss waits for me back in my room. I gulp, taking the first steps toward adulthood—just joking, toward my doom, sighing aloud. I wonder where Nep Jr.'s been?

There's talking on the other side of the door – I can hear it from a pretty decent distance out. There's a couple people, though I'm not able to hear enough to make voices or words out. There's just talking. Really descriptively helpful there, mind! Ah, no problem, Neptune – glad to be of service! How about you stop responding? Okaaay…

Anyway, I press gently on the door as it slowly opens, and I gingerly push it the rest of the way while popping my head into the room. Ahead of me, Histy sits on her little book, her attention immediately shifting to me as well as Nep Jr.'s, who widens her eyes.

"Sister!" she shouts, trotting over to me. I smile, rubbing the top of her head as she leans down for me to do so, and then we hug. _Hug, hug, and more hug!_

"So, what's the haps? You look troubled, Nep Jr. – and Histy, you're…?"

"I'm still upset at you, yes, Neptune, but I am currently under the discovery that all of the town's problems were solved today under your name – and I know that you would have been unable to do it. We are currently discussing how this may have occurred, since Nepgear insists that she has had no hand in this."

I blink, tilting my head. "Is that why I wasn't able to get much of anything done today? Ah, Nep Jr., do you have any idea where I might've left my phone?"

She pulls her head back, blinking now in turn. "Ah, um… do you have one of those?" she asks sheepishly, and I purse my lips.

" _I'm not that technologically behind! I swear!_ " I cry out, dashing past them to start rummaging through my chaotic pile of games and books. Outlets? Nothing plugged in. In game boxes? Nothing—ooh, I forgot I owned that. Ah, wait! Not important! Search, search, search! I must redeem myself!

"…Why are you in such a panic to find it, Neptune?" Histy asks, floating to beside me.

"I need to redeem myself! Noire asked me if I had a phone and looked at me like I was pathetic, and Nep Jr. had the same eyes! I'm not _that_ old!" I exclaim, and hear a simultaneous exhale from behind me. I turn around, cocking my head in confusion. "…Ah?"

Histy locks eyes with Nep Jr., frowning. "I hadn't considered that, but it makes sense."

Nep Jr. nods, bowing. "I apologize, Histoire – I truly didn't help Sister."

"I apologize for doubting you. Neptune, I hope that you end up doing your own work from now on."

"What's that even mean? Noire just dropped by and figured she'd talk with me for a bit. But, that's not important! Nep Jr., help me find this elusive device! If it has more use than just dying all the time, I must learn it!"

Histy sighs. "I swear that she has no sense of tact."

"Sister… I'll help you, but I think you should think long and hard about asking Miss Noire to… to cover for you."

I pause, listening to their words with skeptical eyes. Ah, ironic that that's a manga series I just tossed to the side. Well, that's not important. They're implying Noire did all of the work and said I did it? "But she said she just got here; she didn't say anything about being here since the early morning or anything – just that she bumped into me after not having much to do in Lastation today?"

"Hmm… that excuse seems very disrespectful, Neptune. You should apologize to her."

"Um, Histoire…," Nep Jr. starts, just as I feel like sobbing heartfelt Neptears. "Sister might be… l-lazy, but she wouldn't dump her work on Miss Noire like that."

"Hmm… perhaps you're right. Fine, I shall correct myself – Neptune, thank her when you next see her. Tomorrow, you will wake up early and see yourself to the Guild, and then after you have completed everything that they have for the day, you will go to Lastation and thank her."

I blink in disbelief. I'm getting bullied! "But I'm meeting her here tomorrow to hang out!"

"You will tell Noire that you cannot uphold your plans before you begin your work for the Guild, then, Neptune. I am not pleased enough to allow your lackadaisical behavior to remain unchecked a moment longer."

"B-but…!"

"No buts. I am going to train you to behave as a proper Goddess, and this will be the final discussion of it. There are no more chances."

" _Wahhhhhh!_ "

 **Noire interlude.**

As I get into my room, I can't help but twirl, letting out a soft squeal of joy. It's good that I closed my door so that Uni wouldn't hear. I grab a pillow, hugging it close as I rub my cheek against it. I did it! _I. Did. It!_ I asked her, and she said she'd show up one way or another! Kya!~

I pause, trying to calm myself down – she didn't think she had the phone I gave her for her last birthday, but she remembered she had one, at least. I hope she finds it; I'll try showing her how to use it again tomorrow. I mean, yeah, maybe she won't care, or she might be super late, but, she agreed. It's small steps!

Still… does she really only see me as a friend? Can I… even change that?

No, no, stay focused, Noire! You can do this! She'll notice, someday! Even the thickest skull has some sort of brain underneath it!

… _She said yes! Haaa!~_

 _Flop._

 **Neptune, the day after.**

I sigh, feeling rather miserable. I slept poorly after trying every method I could think of to convince Histy to have mercy, but nothing worked. So, I have to work all day today…? Ugh. This is worse than the time I faced her wrath for shirking my duties—wait a minute… Well, moving right along! Ah, hah, hah, hah…

It's kind of cool out, this early in the morning. Histy woke me up promptly and kicked me out before I could get a word in, so I guess I have to commit. I never did find that phone. I don't even really remember why I needed it, now. Something about Noire looking down on me for not having one.

Maybe I'll go buy one or something, though I'm running kind of low on money, again. Sniffle. Why should I have to have an allowance?! I'm Neptune, the most beautiful of all the CPUs! The Crown Jewel of Gamindustri! The original Best Butt! The number one character in popularity! And all of the other stuff I can burst out with! Aaaaagh!

I rub my eyes, yawning. I don't even know how early it actually is – the sun is only _just_ starting to rise. Maybe like… five or six? I think I was supposed to do something at… like… noon? What was it, though? Why is my memory being so spacey today…? Ah, probably because I need more sleep. And pudding. Histy's committing Neptune abuse. Someone needs to make that illegal.

I sigh, trudging over to the Guild, weakly pushing on the door as I open it up, hanging my head downward. Waddling to the counter, I look up at the clerk, sighing. "What jobs do you have today? I'll take them all."

They widen their eyes in surprise, quickly checking their papers. "Ah, uh… Neptune, the Goddess of Planeptune, right?"

"Yes, yes, that's me. The one and only. Whatcha' got for me, Generic Guild Quest Giver?"

"…That's not my name, it's…"

"Details, details. Give me the sitch. I need the deets, homie."

Ignoring the somewhat upset look this person gives me, they set down a journal. I flip the first page, seeing a massive pile of gathering requests. The next? Monster extermination. Next? Community service. After that? Patrolling. My eyes narrow and I feel sweat already bead on my face, fatigue washing over me. _This isn't going to be a one-day process!_

"…Thank you for your hard work as always," the Generic Giver says, and I nod weakly, stumbling back out of the building.

Histy officially wants to kill me. I've decided. I clutch the journal with trembling fingers, sighing. I guess complaining about it isn't going to help me; I should just get to work as soon as possible. Deciding to tell myself this statement repeatedly as some form of mantra, I trudge through the rather barren streets, my eyelids heavy. So… tired… Gazing around me, the slight morning hue illuminates the buildings, which is really pretty, but I don't think there's even a snack shop open at this hour.

I rub my temple, decidedly set that I might as well get to work immediately. Wandering through the nearly deserted streets, I alternate stretching one arm and then the other, figuring I can use this time to limber up a little. If hunting big beasties and getting medicinal Wheaties is what people want – Nep gonna' give it to 'em.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice… Noire, wearing a rather pretty blue dress with special ribbons in her hair. She looks really good, but why is she so dressed up? Arching my eyebrows, I also find her presence _really_ , really bizarre. Why's she here so early? It's like… too-early-o'-clock. Did I miss some special event today?

…Oh, wait. The thing today at noon… riiight. I was gonna' have a day off with her. I ought to tell her it won't work out. Sighing, preparing myself for facing her wrath, I approach her with reluctant footfalls, a sad sense of disappointment welling up in me. She looks so darn happy, too…

She notices me, cocking her head. "Neptune?" she calls, closing the rest of the distance as I wave to her. "It's way too early for you to be up, y-you know?"

I laugh miserably, nodding. "I've been chosen to tend to the various Guild requests of the day by Overlord Histy the Always-Pissty. Um…"

She frowns, crossing her arms. "That's… a severe punishment. What do you have to do?" I pass her the journal, keeping my eyes downward, mentally preparing myself. "Hmm… it could be worse. How much of this do you have to get done today?"

"…All of it."

A pause. "Well, how long do you think that'll take you?"

"…Probably all day."

Another pause. "I… see. Well… if I go get changed, do you want some help?"

I blink, raising my head. "You… you mean it?"

She rubs the back of her neck, looking away. "I mean, yeah, it's kind of annoying, but you didn't ask to do all these, did you? Ah, wait, what am I saying. Of course, you wouldn't, and… I don't really blame you. This is a little more than I usually have to do."

"You… do this kind of stuff every day?" I ask, staring at her in horror. She purses her lips, nodding silently. "…Being a Goddess kinda' blows."

"It's responsibility – some of us take it better than others, I guess. Still, I guess I can go ahead and go get changed – do you want me to… meet you anywhere? It… could go faster if we go t-together."

I scratch my scalp, frowning. "I don't know if they'd like that, since I didn't get anything done yesterday. I remember them talking about that, but I don't remember what they were saying…" Looking at her, I notice she's suddenly gone a little pale, and cock my head. "Y'okay?"

She blinks, nodding furiously. "Yeah, yeah. Just forgot that you didn't manage to accomplish anything. I'm, um, sorry about asking you about today, then."

I wave my hands, trying to smile reassuringly at her. Goddess, I'm tired. "No worries, no worries. It's just how the pancake bakes."

"…You mean how the cookie crumbles?" she asks, and we both chuckle. "Ah, uh… two things!"

I tilt my head.

"Did you… ever find your phone? And, um…" She hesitates, sighing. "How… do I look, at least?"

I frown, rubbing my chin. "I never found it – I'll probably get myself a new one later when I can afford one… or something. I'm, uh, sorry about that. And – you look great, Noire."

She pauses. "You… mean it?" She has a strange look in her eyes, though I opt to ignore it. I nod. It's probably just me being tired, anyway. She suddenly beams, seeming a lot happier than what I've been expecting. I'm not getting berated? "T-that's good! I'm glad. Ah, and, I can help you get a new one, then."

"…Yyeah, me too, I think."

"Ah, alright, I ought to go rush back and get my normal attire on. I'll be back soon, alright? I'll meet you north of the main road, if you want?"

I pause, pursing my lips. Yeah, I could accept her help and get it done quickly, but if she does this stuff daily – wouldn't that mean she has to do her stuff afterward? And I'm supposed to be getting something out of this, so maybe I should decline. I can always ask her after if it turns out to be a lot more severe than it really seems. Looking at it now, I should be able to handle this much myself. Now to explain it.

"I'm, uh, gonna' try to do this myself for now – I'm supposed to learn something from it all, right? It wouldn't be fair dragging you along if you have to do your stuff after, too, and I already kinda' wasted your time by telling ya' we'd be able to hang out today. So, uh, I'll find ya' if it turns out to be too difficult, but I'll give it a go myself first. That okay, Noire?"

Her expression suddenly falls, and so does her posture. Was she really excited about helping me, or something? "Ah… uh… that's true, I… guess. I can… understand. Then… I'll…?"

"I'll see ya' when I next see ya', Noire. And don't worry about the phone – since I musta' lost it, I should pay for it."

"…Okay, I guess."

"Alright, I'll see ya' later. I'm gonna' get this started. If I still have time after it, I'll come find ya', too, okay?"

"…Yeah."

I wave to her as I jog away, flipping open the journal. First off, some medicinal plants over in the forests outside of town. This one should be pretty easy! If I work fast, I'll be done in no time! Ah, and I need to beat down some dogoos around the same place, so I can be efficient, too! Awesome!

Hopefully I can make it up to her. She seemed really bummed.

 **Noire interlude.**

I watch as she jogs away, sighing. I look down at myself, frowning – maybe she doesn't like the color blue, too. Still, she complimented me, though it felt… casual. Sighing, I scratch my arm, surveying the city. I guess my plan backfired, after all. Well, it's fine, I suppose. There's always tomorrow, or something. Yeah… Yeah! Maintain hope! This is only the beginning – she couldn't help it, since Histoire dumped quite a load on her for her first day. I'm sure she'll have more free time as she adjusts!

Though, what am I going to do today, now? I twirl my hair as I think. I cleared my entire day and got all of Lastation's needs done before even coming here, so… I guess I could keep an eye on her and make sure she'll be okay? Ah, but that'd be weird, that'd make me look super creepy!

…Haah. I guess I'll go get changed and work on something else, or maybe see if Uni's up. Maybe she'll not mind spending some time together, or something…

…Yeah, there'll be more opportunities. One defeat isn't everything.

Stay motivated, Noire!

 **Neptune; the tasks finished, the day well into the evening hours.**

Palms sweaty. Knees weak. Arms are heavy. My hoodie's all messy; monster-mash spaghetti. I'm delirious, and on the surface I look dogged and ready, to get noms, and just _pass the heck out!_

Aaaaaaaaaagh!

Everything's tired, I'm tired, tired is tired – I'm _so_ done with today. I swear that Histy will be the death of me, and I'm not even exaggerating anymore. More days like this, and Neptune will lose all of her Peptune. I'll just be a Weptune. I can't even think of any more rhymes to go with this line of thought, so I think I'll drop it.

Twilight is already hitting the buildings – the slight yellow tint either magnifying the fluorescent buildings or dulling them – a strange sight to behold. Ah, I guess I don't get out much at night. This is a discovery. Still, it's really pretty and everyone's bustling along, happy and content with brilliant smiles and not a care in the world. I smile softly, straightening my posture as I place my hands on my hips, scoffing. If this is what I get to see at the end of a long day, maybe being a responsible CPU has some merit…

…Ah, what the heck am I saying? Of course, it does. But that doesn't make this any less horrible!

I lick my lips, contemplating how to spend the rest of the evening. I already made my trip to the Guild and practically lobbed my book at Generic Quest Giver #2, who didn't understand my fatigue. I've got some sort of reputation for doing this kind of stuff often, and I _don't_ think Noire actually would do this daily, even if she loved me.

 _No one_ should be subjected to this much work by themselves! Aaaagh!

I'll go on strike. That'll show her. If I convince Nep Jr., it'll be _double_ the strike. Like, a combo-strike. That'll _really_ get her. Hah, hah, hah… I sigh, rubbing the back of my head. I need a shower, and then I'll debate the rest, I think. Ambling on, I slouch forward and yawn. Maybe it won't be 'debating the rest' but 'debating rest.'

I wonder what Noire ended up doing for the rest of the day? I hope she found something fun. She needs more breaks if this is how things tend to go for her. Or maybe she's really quick about it since she does it every day – she seems kinda' cool like that. Or she's just a workaholic. Maybe both? Yeah, gotta' be both.

I still need to try and find that phone, since it'd be a waste of money to get another, and apparently, I'll have to learn budgeting since I'm starving. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Ah, that's my mind, not my stomach – whoops!

I hope Nep Jr.'s around; I need to be pampered like there's no tomorrow – otherwise, there might not _be_ a tomorrow! I can see it now; _Most Beautiful of All Goddesses found DEAD! Sources say she starved from a lack of attention and nutrition, working herself to death._

Why does this almost sound more like Noire than me…?

I should go check on her later.

Stopping before the Basilicom, it occurs to me that my body's been on autopilot since I got out of the Guild. I stare up at the building, the staircase looking somewhat imposing for the first time in, well, ever. If only I had a sweet prince to carry me away, to let me snack and laze for all eternity! Ah, wait, he'd want… ew, ew, ew! That's not how this works! I refuse!

Well, I'm not going to get anywhere sitting here, thinking about the lack of appeals of becoming the princess to a prince. Children aren't my thing – nor are… well, men! Does this mean I'm into women? Or maybe I'm Nepsexual? Ah, would saying that mean I'd go after myself? Mmm… Neppy goodness.

I don't even know anymore, brain. I just don't.

Sluggishly ascending the staircase to home, I yawn. Feeling like I've earned my rest, I let my eyes get a little drowsy… and then feel a hand on my shoulder. I blink, glancing down at it, and then shiver. Instinctively, I stagger forward, blurting out declinations as I spin around.

"No, no thank you, Mister Prince Charming! I know what you might be after – but this pure body is reserved for… well, anyone besides you, sir! I mean, sure, you might be rich and super handsome for a guy, but I just don't feel like I'm ready for committed and, I know this girl trapped in a tower who is guarded by a dragon who _really_ likes donkeys, and, I have an ogre friend you can send to go get her first, so please just… huh?" I pause, narrowing my eyes, noticing that this person is _not_ actually a prince, nor is he charming, nor is he even a he! "Plutie! Fancy running into you here," I say, laughing nervously. "Ignore that entire outburst, I, uh, was expecting someone else."

She tilts her head, beaming at me. "Hi Neppyyyy,~ ah, you werrre?~ Whooo?~" She claps her hands together as she waddles toward me, her slippers making those weird clomp'y sounds as always as she moves, her hair as messy and fluffy as always.

I scratch the back of my head, laughing. "No one important – I'm just hallucinating a little, is all. What brings ya' all the way here?" I ask. It _is_ kinda' rare to see her come to this dimension, honestly, so color me pleasantly surprised. Some company for the night shouldn't be terrible, after all.

"I just came to see youuuu,~" she says, moving even closer. I smile at her, nodding as I cross my arms. Ah, I just rubbed my hands in dogoo goo. Ewww.

"It's good to see ya' – I just got done doing stuff for the Guild, so I was gonna' head inside and clean up. After I do it, ya' wanna' hang out for a bit?" I offer, waving my arms frantically to get rid of the goo.

"Hmmm… surrre,~" she says, entwining her fingers. Huh, she seems a bit more focused than usual, too. Are the people around me just being more serious, lately?

"Alright – come in and pull up some couch 'till I'm done, I'll be back out in a jiffy, 'kay?"

"Okaaaay.~"

She follows me inside, and I open the door with a feeling of invincibility for once – Histy can't take me down now! I did everything she asked me to do! I should even get praised for working so hard on my first day!

"Ah, Neptune. Good, you have finally returned. Ah, and I see you have brought Plutia with you. Did you have her assist you?" Histy immediately asks, her eyes narrowing on me. I puff out my chest, grinning.

"Nope! I did it all myself. Plutie just popped up and said hello, so I was gonna' let her relax in here for a bit while I get all clean and spiffy before we head back out," I explain proudly, nodding. Nep Jr. also gasps, clapping excitedly before rushing away to start up the bathroom, and I focus on Histy. "So what do ya' have to say to that, huh?"

"Good work, then. I'm pleasantly surprised – I expect tomorrow's list of tasks to be done promptly, as well. Hopefully, you will learn to complete them faster – Nepgear is not capable of filing away all of the paperwork herself, and I am oftentimes not capable of helping her as well as I would like."

"…Huh? That's it?"

She eyes me skeptically. "Were you expecting heaps of praise for doing what the other Goddesses do on a daily basis?"

"…Maybe… a little…"

"Ah. Good work, Neptune. Phenomenal. Keep it up," she says in the most monotone voice I have ever heard, and I feel my eyes twitch.

"Amazing, Neppy,~" Plutie comments from behind me, and I sigh. At least two of the three people here appreciate my hard work… Alright, time to go get that shower now, I guess. I trudge toward the bathroom, leaving Plutie to plop down on one of my sofas.

Noiiire… please help me tomorrowwww…

Moving into the bathroom, I find Nep Jr.'s already got the water in the shower running, having set out all of the various cleaning materials as well as some chemicals to treat my clothing. I smile wearily at her, sighing, as she helps me get undressed. Sniffling, I step into the shower to begin scrubbing the grime out of my hair and off my body.

"You did really well, Sister!" she chirps from the other side of the door, and I laugh sadly, nodding. "You'll be able to do these things in your sleep in no time! You're always amazing!" she continues, and I lift my head, eyeing her while I pour some soap into my hand.

"Y'think so?" I ask, beginning to scrub up a storm on the top of my head. I sigh, shaking it a little. "I was so sure it was a huge deal, but if everyone has these kinds of lists every day, I'm a little disheartened…"

"Yes, but they also have help!" Nep Jr. exclaims, furiously cleaning my hoodie like a trained professional. She's so good at being nurturing, I could just retire and live a life in her care. Little sisters are the best… eh, I can't jokingly say that. The lingering effects of imagining the prince has sullied my thoughts. Nooo, my pure mind!~

"I'll… I'll take your word for it, Nep Jr. I think I'll give it my all again tomorrow. How do the stains seem?" I inquire, lathering up my body now. Glancing over briefly, I notice she's frowning while staring at it.

"…It's… difficult, Sister. Most of the stains aren't coming out with the supplies I tend to use, so I might need to use stronger chemicals, but that might…"

"I'd rather be bleached white than covering in monster parts," I answer with a sigh. "I'll just go for a different outfit for the night while you do whatever ya' gotta' do. What else do I have lying around?"

She hums curiously, standing and excusing herself for a moment, disappearing. I spend this time furiously scrubbing my skin, hoping to rid myself of the smells – I know the work can be dirty, since we've had adventures before, but if this is a constant thing; ewwww. I'll ask Noire about her secrets with all of this stuff tomorrow.

She's been coming to Planeptune more – two days in one week is nearing a world record for her. I smile softly, this fact pleasing – even if she's being a little off, I enjoy knowing she worries about me as often as I worry about her. She's a great friend. I tilt my head, picturing her as the prince for a moment, and surprisingly… it's not that unpleasant. In fact, it seems plausible – and… that's scary! Nope, nope, no sirree! Rid yourself of these thoughts, Neptune! Yuri may be the only way, but… with your best friend?! Impossible!

Still, out of everyone I can imagine, I'm pretty sure she's the only one that could comfortably fit that role. Maybe I'll tease her about that tomorrow if she's around.~ I snicker in mischievous amusement, and then notice the door that leads into my room opens. I suddenly hear a commotion, with a _lot_ of different voices, and I blink in curiosity. I wonder what's going on out there?

Hmm… finish lathering, then rinse, aaand… I'll call it done here. Sniffing my arms, I don't smell any more stink from anything, so I _think_ I've succeeded. Towel-grab, rubadubdub!~ Thank goodness for Nep Jr. and her motherly instincts! Having to walk out of here to grab a towel if there's more people around would be _really_ embarrassing.

Hrm… alright. I'm pretty dry. She hasn't come back, so I guess I'll have to just wrap this towel tightly around me and go look around, myself. Tie that knot there, pinch it closed with my hand, aaand… one hand free while preserving innocence! A Planeptune legacy that shall be passed down from generation to generation!

Turning the handle, I open the door slowly and pop my head out, listening…

"Ah, well, I'm, uh, glad you decided to visit her too, Plutia," that voice… is Noire's? Ooh! She visited! I can just ask her about stuff today. "So, where is she?"

"Sister is taking a shower at the moment, though I believe she might've finished since the water stopped running. Would you and Uni like some tea, Miss Noire?" Nep Jr. asks, and I _swear_ I'm the older sister of a gentle little angel. Protect the smile!

"Neppy is busy thoughhhh.~"

"Not busy enough to not allow you over," Uni remarks with an annoyed tone. "Yes, we'd like some tea, Nepgear. We'll stay for a little while since Big Sister needs to talk to her."

"N… No, it's okay, Uni. I'm sure she just wants to rest after a long day," Noire says, her tone very sullen. I frown, contemplating running out there, but I look _really_ indecent. Ah, the woes of the innocent maiden!~

"No; we'll stay. I, for one, wouldn't mind having some tea, at least, for our troubles in coming here. Histoire, do you mind?"

"Hmm… no, not in the slightest, girls. You are exemplary Goddesses to learn from – perhaps your patience and perseverance might rub off." _Ouch_ , she's already starting up with this again.

"…She tries her best, Histoire," Noire counters, and I hear the lil' bookie scoff.

"You do not need to be nice for her sake, Noire. She has gone too long being carefree and lazy – I will not relent." No, Histy, have mercy!

"I'm _not_ being nice – she tries in her own way, and anyone can see that. I know you're irritated; I would be, too, but you can't suddenly thrust all of her responsibilities on her at once. Blanc and Vert eased into their workloads as well, after everything that happened." Yes, go, Noire! Defend my honor!

"Yes, but they are themselves and Neptune is another matter. On the other hand, _you_ have had no problems…" Don't mention the Queen of Work's strongest subject! It's too much!

"Yes, but I am accustomed to this kind of workload. I have worked to such a degree for as long as I can remember – Neptune isn't me, though. She's kinder and more sensitive than I am, and she shows it when the rest of us aren't looking. Her people adore her in a fervent manner. It isn't like me or Uni who are respected for our hard work and responsible attitudes – the people of this nation love Neptune and Nepgear for their gentle and caring personalities. Change that too much, and you're throwing away Planeptune's diversity from Lastation." I raise my eyebrows, somewhat embarrassed. She's noticed this much? I thought I did a good job at covering most of it up.

"Neppy is Neppy, so don't change Neppy,~" Plutie comments.

"…Yeah, exactly as Plutia said. I won't stop you from heaping work on her – it's a good change for her, but, don't try to brute force it, or she'll recoil _hard_."

"…Thank you, Noire. I suppose I will accept that advice as sincere, then?"

"It… is. I see no reason that it would not be."

"I would ask, then, that you refrain from doing her work for her in the future."

Silence for a few moments, and I blink. This conversation is a lot more serious than I thought – Histy and Noire are actually at odds. That's rare.

"I do what I think is best – but I will ease off giving her assistance in the future if it means that you are softer on her. She had no part in my actions, however – I can assure you that." She… actually _was_ helping me? With that workload of her own?

"…I see. I thank you for being honest. May I ask why?"

"Yeah, you're being nosy, other Noire.~"

"Why are you even here?" I hear Uni ask in irritation, and gulp. They have this poor of a relationship when I'm not around? "You're not much better in the 'work-to-play' department than Neptune, and _you're_ butting into…"

"It's fine, Uni. Plutia is Neptune's friend just as much as we are. Yes, perhaps I'm being… nosy. However, I act as I feel is best, and I see no reason to not. I like to think that I know her well enough to know that she would be serious and do anything for her people or her friends if it boiled down to it – something we have seen time and time again, when push comes to shove – so I'm not going to criticize her for the rest. More than anything, however – I just don't want to see Neptune change for something as simple as 'appearances.'"

"…Do you honestly believe that 'appearances' are a simple matter, Noire? Do you not know…"

"I _do_ know very well that they matter, and that periods of doubt come to Gamindustri over certain periods of time. I have learned lessons from the incident with Rei, and the Deity of Sin problem – but the topic of which we're arguing is whether Neptune would be better trying to be a knockoff version of me, or herself – and I'm not trying to be rude in saying that she isn't going to act like me to her dying days. She has her own areas of expertise, and her people love her. Yes, there are naysayers, but there are dozens more that sing her name highly when someone boos."

"You are well-versed in Planeptune's affairs."

"Would you expect me to remain in the dark about the matters of the nations around me? Neptune is one of the people I… ah, people I consider as my closest friends. Of course, I'll keep tabs on her. She's not the same as the rest of us. Her personality gives her a lot more leeway."

Nep Jr. appears, and I raise a finger to my lips. She smiles, nodding, as she lingers out of sight with me. I smile, too, feeling the red spreading over my cheeks as something really comfortable. She's a lot more sensitive than she says she is.

"If she's so different, maybe you don't know her all that well.~"

"Excuse me?" Noire replies, and Nep Jr. and I blink.

"Aren't you just stalking her? That's not what a friend does.~"

"I don't see it as that. Plus…"

"You're just projecting your opinion on her,~ that's selfish, other Noire.~"

"It's not projecting – it's carefully studied…"

"Then that's stalking.~"

Silence hangs in the room, and Nep Jr. and I exchange looks. That's…

"You're forcing your opinion on her.~ Neppy does what she wants, so why do you have to do things without telling her?~"

"I'm just trying to help…!"

"But did she ask?~ Did she call you?~"

"…No, but she's…"

"Neppy is amazing,~ she doesn't need _your_ obsessive, selfish attitude.~"

"What the hell do you know?" A slam – probably a glass on the table. "She's not the _kind_ of person that would ask…"

"Then you're trying to change her, too.~"

"I'm _not_! I'm doing what any good friend would do!"

"Are you?~ Or are you desperately clinging to her?~" Plutie's tone is getting closer to Sadie's, and I shiver. Something's beginning to go wrong. I look up at Nep Jr., who nods, quickly departing to get me some clothing.

"I'm… I…," Noire trails off, her voice sounding tired. I feel an ache in my chest suddenly, but… walking out like this would be pretty bad. "I'm not clinging. I'm…"

"If she hasn't called for your help,~ if she hasn't told you she was getting tired,~ then you're just being a _nuisance_ , other Noire.~ Selfish, selfish.~"

"How _dare_ you say that to Big Sister! She's known Neptune longer than you, you…!"

"…She's right, Uni. Yeah, she's actually right. I'm being pushy and inconsiderate. Neptune should talk to us if she needs help – I'm acting without thinking of her feelings. Come on, let's go – we weren't invited here, so we ought to leave."

"But…!"

 _Crap._ I stumble as I try to swing the door open, hitting the ground while wincing. Movement. She's trying to leave. C'mon, get up…! I hop to my feet, rushing for the main room – even if I'm revealing I've been eavesdropping…!

…She's already gone. I stare at the door, wondering how they closed it so quietly. Histy eyes me wearily, and I take a deep breath. Looking over at her, Plutie beams at me while cocking her head, seeing no problem. If my eyes aren't deceiving me, I notice…

Plutie has little hearts in her eyes. I think I'm really tired after all – I'm starting to see things.

Noire…

 **Noire interlude.**

Uni places a harsh kick into the pavement, her boot loudly scuffing in the darkness as she thrusts her hands downward, snarling. "Who the _hell_ does she think she is, that little airhead?! To talk to you that way…!"

I hold up a hand to stop her, and she trails off again. I turn my head, smiling softly at her. Stay strong. "It's okay. She has her own opinions and she's entitled to them. Don't let it get to you, Uni." Stay strong for Uni's sake. No weakness. "She made a valid point – none of us are really considering Neptune's opinion on things here. We're acting without talking to her about it."

"That does _not_ mean you're being selfish or pushy! Sure, she didn't _say_ anything, but it's Neptune – she wouldn't mind…!"

"Do we know that? Or are we just assuming?" I counter, and she trembles in anger for a few moments before sighing, kicking the ground again. "Don't scuff your boots over it. It's not worth it."

"Big Sister, I'm _not_ scuffing my boots – I'm venting since you won't. Wait, do you even realize it?"

"Eh?" I inquire, cocking my head.

"You're crying."

I blink, raising fingers to my cheeks – and sure enough, they're wet. I blink again, raising my hand to wipe them away, but they just keep coming. I laugh quietly, shrugging. "I don't know why. It's okay. I just learned something today – that's all."

"But it wasn't the _right_ thing to learn!"

"I don't know what's right or wrong, anymore, Uni. It's not like we know enough about Planeptune to project our opinions on everything. How close are you with Nepgear?"

She pauses, hesitating. "We're… friends, but…"

"You don't know the deepest machinations of _her_ mind either, do you?" She shakes her head, sighing. She closes the distance between us, walking by my side. "It's okay. It's alright. We have other things we need to focus on, lately, anyway. Strengthening our taskforce is necessary, too – and there's a lot of paperwork. Plus, I'm sure those Guild agents I hired are tired of handling some of the requests."

"They're not even difficult requests, Big Sister. It's okay…"

"No, I'll take them back up. We don't need to inconvenience anyone. After all, I'm just the picture of the perfect workhorse Goddess, and you're my… little sister, right?"

"…Don't try to make this into a one-CPU job, Big Sister. I know where you're going with that statement. I'll help you, and that's final."

"…I… kind of appreciate it, if I'm being honest. Thank you, Uni."

She smiles, nodding, awkwardly wrapping an arm around my waist as she hugs me from the side. I mimic the action, sighing, as we continue walking through the night. At least I have Uni, and she has me. Maybe we don't need anyone else.

Yeah… I don't need to keep focusing on Neptune. I've not even really considered whether she enjoys my company or if she thinks I'm someone else she just has to look after. Now that I think about it… I actually _don't_ know her all that well. I snort, suddenly becoming more aware of the dampness of my face, as I sniffle.

"…Big Sister, it's okay to let yourself cry. No one's around."

I clench my free hand, shaking my head. "You are." She frowns, sighing, but doesn't argue with me, and once again, I appreciate that, too.

Keep it together. Just keep it together. You're stronger than this, Noire – you're the CPU of Lastation, and you never show weakness.

And yet, I can feel it – somewhere in the back of my mind, a single word repeats endlessly, eating at me, chewing at my sanity.

 _Neptune._

It's going to be a sleepless night.

 **Neptune, the day after – it's early morning.**

Exiting my Basilicom, I yawn, my body even heavier and more fatigued than yesterday. Honestly, after everything through the day, and the series of events last night, I managed to fret myself into an early sleep without eating too much. Nep Jr. got up early and spread out a feast for me, which was really pleasant, and I left without waking Plutie – which, right now, feels very right.

I couldn't say much to her after last night. Something kept me from expressing my thoughts, and I still have yet to discover what that _something_ is. I just know that I'm exhausted, I'm somewhat sleep-deprived despite the early sleep, and I'm concerned. Concerned over what? Noire, of course. The way last night's argument went, I _don't_ think I'll see her for a while if I wait for her to come back here. And sure enough, my body's been on autopilot, checking the many streets – when did I even retrieve the Guild journal today?

I'm really out of it, and _that's_ putting it mildly. Sure enough, though – she's nowhere to be seen. This fact sits really uncomfortably in my stomach, and I feel almost annoyed by it. It's only been a couple of days, yet something tells me she's been doing this for quite a while. They said I've had a good reputation with the Guild for how long?

Do I have Noire to thank for that? Or Nep Jr.? Or someone else?

It wouldn't be anyone but the first two, and Nep Jr. stopped helping me constantly after Histy told her not to, back before the Rei incident. So… she's really been looking after things this entire time? What can I even say to her? _Haha, thanks for covering for me constantly while I've been goofing off!_ Well, maybe that's a _start_ , but I get the sense that it wouldn't cover any of last night's argument. I don't even know how to approach that.

I sigh, scratching the back of my head in frustration. Well, I guess having a conversation with her after I finish up this list would be best. Or maybe I should do it beforehand? Would she even be up now if she wasn't helping me? I realize that I don't know much about Noire at all, and for some reason, this really _annoys_ me.

I don't know anything about the person I call my best friend? When she knows so much about me, already? I mean, yeah, maybe if I want to analyze it – it might be a little weird, but she's never been normal; that's why we get along so well. None of us CPUs, nor our sisters, are normal, but that's _why_ everyone likes us and can be buddy-buddy.

I need to learn more about her, or I'm just being a crappy friend.

Yeah, I think I'll head to Lastation and see if they're already up, first – learning about whether they're early birds or night owls would be a good first discovery. Trudging along, I scratch the back of my head contemplatively. I'm suddenly starting to care more about things that I'd never thought about up until now – I wonder why? It's not a _bad_ change, but it's weird. Noire's in my thoughts more, and I felt upset for once – at Plutie, of all people.

They talk like change is bad – and maybe it is, but… we can't ever move forward without change, right? I'll embrace it.

Soon enough, I arrive at Lastation. At once, I already notice – _everyone's already up!_ My eyes widen at this revelation. This city really _is_ the centerpiece of all things workaholic, and that's almost scary. There's so many people here, working with determined expressions and boundless energy – life of their own. Planeptune has comradery and kindness, but Lastation's populace has responsibility and dedication. They're both really nice in their own right – Noire's right. If I were to start getting all serious twenty-four-seven, I'd end up not fitting in in my own city.

There's just so many people, though – to be this alive and busy by five in the morning, I'd call them all nuts, but… Considering their patron Goddess, I don't think it's a hard observation, after all. Maybe Noire's up, after all. Alright, now to see whether I'm right…!

Continuing on, I jog along, weaving through the hundreds of businessmen and women as they hurry along. In the center of the city, the gigantic towering building of Noire's Basilicom – a noteworthy place that I… don't actually visit all that often. I wonder what her room's like?

And honestly, it's _huge_. It's like those flight control towers in all the movies, for airports and stuff – it's just gigantic, outshining everything else. It's almost a little imposing, but I'm not too afraid! Definitely not – yesterday had nothing to do with me! Er, well, _everything_ to do with me, but not anything to do _with_ me. Yeah. Let's go with that.

I hear the sound of angry-sound boots pace-stomping toward me, and I whirl around to find Uni approaching me with a sharp glare, and I shudder. _Not_ the Tsunster I wanted to run into. "Uh, hi, Uni! Fancy running into you here…"

She crosses her arms, the folders in her hand perfectly balanced even with her showy motion. She has quite the firm grip – she's used to holding stuff… ahahaha, that sounds terrible. "Yeah, hi, Neptune. What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood, and, uh…," I start, but she raises an eyebrow. Her expression is one saying, 'I _dare_ you to say something stupid.' I sigh, scratching the back of my head – the skin back there starting to get sensitive. "I'm around to see if you and Noire were already up."

"We are," she says curtly, and I acknowledge that the little sister _definitely_ is harboring the grudge from yester…night at more than just Plutie. "Anything else?"

"Where's, uh, Noire?" I continue, trying to play it off. I won't back down after walking all the way here, after all.

"She's out, handling the Guild's tasks for Lastation's region. She didn't even wait for me to get dressed, but I'm sure she'll be back soon. Why, need something?" Ah, there's even a small rift between the sisters. That's kind of guilt-inducing. "Actually, don't answer that – of _course_ you do. I can see it on your face – you were eavesdropping last night, right?"

I cast my eyes downward, pursing my lips. I nod slowly, and she sighs.

"I'm _not_ happy with you for staying quiet, but I'm more irritated with that Plutia girl. You two really managed to hurt my sister, and I'm not going to take that lying down. However, _you_ , can make amends by trying and _succeeding_ at hanging out with my sister today or tomorrow. _She_ will have to look over her shoulder wherever she walks."

"I'd, uh, rather you didn't shoot my counterpart from the other dimension…"

"I don't _care_ what you want. You know what Big Sister was doing last night after we left? _Crying._ "

I stiffen, lifting my head to lock eyes with hers. They're trembling slightly, and her body's shaking – from anger or from sadness, I can't tell. But, that's not important – "Noire was… crying?"

"Yes. And I hold _you_ responsible. Make some attempt to salvage what just went wrong last night – Big Sister's starting to change, and it's _not_ in a good way. That part is _your_ fault."

A sudden spur of anger rushes through me, and my eye twitches. "And how am I supposed to know what you two are thinking all the time? I've been kept in the dark about a lot of things, apparently."

"Would you have cared if we told you?"

I hesitate. "Well, probably… not, but…"

"Then why should we have wasted the time? You _know_ how bad my sister is at communicating her thoughts and feelings. For her to get hurt like that last night at _your_ expense is infuriating. I'm angry."

"I'm confused."

"I'm aware. So, I'll give you my personal advice – hang out with Big Sister, and _only_ her, and try to patch everything up however you always manage to do it. She has a lot of faith in you, you know? Don't make it waver much more."

"…I, thanks. I'll take your word for it. When should she be back?"

"I'm not sure, but it'll probably be soon. Be patient."

"I will. Do you, uh… need help?"

She blinks, her eyes widening. She snorts in amusement after glancing at the paperwork in her hands, and she raises her free hand, waving it at me. "No, no, this is light compared to what I'm usually doing."

I cringe. "That's… light?" It's _at least_ thirty or forty pages wedged between her fingers.

She nods. "Yep. We're usually handling things about ten times bigger than this – though, we usually volunteer for it, since it goes by faster with us than with most of the companies and staff in Lastation. I got used to it pretty quickly after Big Sister showed me the ropes."

I cough, feeling a little overwhelmed. I don't think I'd ever want to see the extent of their workloads…

"Ah, but I have to get back to work. These are somewhat time-sensitive. I'll get you a cup of coffee or something when I finish, so just wait out here and think. The interior of the Basilicom's chaotic around this time of morning," she remarks, bowing while excusing herself, heading inside.

Workaholic doesn't _begin_ to describe these two. Workhounds! Workfiends! WORKDEMONS!

I plop down on the stairs, sighing as I rub my face. It's too early to be thinking about all of this, I swear. It's not good for my little heart – especially these revelations about how different the people around me are. Who could do this sort of stuff from the moment they wake up?! It's… ah, that's the answer. The sisters of the way of tsun are both secretly… masochists!

What the heck do I even say to Noire, anyway, though…? I'm still not sure, and I don't know where I would even really begin. Maybe… well, of course – _how do ya' do, how are ya', and it's good to see ya'._ But after that? I mean, I could open up with humor, but that might depend on how she's acting…

 _Heya', Noire! Fancy runnin' into you here! Oh, me? I'm_ definitely _here all the time – I just blend in well! So, Nep Jr. told me about somethin' last night, and I uh, wanted to say…_

Why is this so difficult?! I can adlib the greeting, but how do I approach last night?! I can throw Nep Jr. under the bus, but that's not going to make it any less awkward to try and cover! Aagh! This subtle stuff is too much for me! People just need to get along. Yeah.

I rub the back of my head, exhaling, sagging. I'll just have to wing it; that's all there's to it.

"…Neptune?" a soft voice calls out to me, and my head immediately lifts, perking up. I recognize that voice! I spin around, shooting the widest smile I can give in her direction, seeing the High Goddess of Tsun and Work suddenly flush, sighing aloud. "O-of course, why did I even ask? No one else has that hair color besides you and Nepgear." She pauses, frowning again, her eyes growing a little cold. "What do you… need?"

I hop to my feet, trotting over to her as I smile at her, remaining close – she seems to get flustered by this, which therefore means she'll be less capable of fleeing. Thus, the Great Neptune's keikaku flows onward! Heh, heh, heh! "I… figured I'd come say hello before I got busy today! Yeah! I wanted to see ya', so I came over here."

She blinks, eyeing me skeptically. "I… uh, I see. Hi, Neptune. It's nice to see you today. Is that… all?"

I pout at her, grumbling. She's got herself set to maximum 'Cold' mode. "Nope! That's not all! I, uh… how do I put this…," I trail off, rubbing my chin. She raises an eyebrow, her expression curiously intrigued. "Ah, you look really cute like that, by the way." She suddenly recoils, her face reddening as she stamps her foot in frustration. "Sorry, sorry," I say, smirking. "I, well. I wanted to say… thanks."

She stops. "Eh? For… what?"

I sheepishly kick the ground, entwining my hands behind my back. "I… may have heard about last night, so I wanted to, um, say it personally – thank you for thinking of me and giving me a hand, Noire. If anything, I'm really happy that you think so highly of me, and, um… you weren't that far off the mark. So… thank you."

She just stands there, stunned. Her face goes from scarlet to pale to crimson to white to red and back repeatedly as she just stands there, staring at me. If anything, I find this extremely comical – she's adorable when her mind overloads like this. Though, Uni eyes me with suspicious eyes as she finally returns out of the Basilicom, a small tray of coffee cups in hand.

"Neptune… What'd you do to my sister?" she asks, waving a hand in front of Noire's face. "Big Sister, are you alright? Ah, here. I had a feeling that you would manage to return in time to run into this idiot, so I made you some coffee too. Here, Neptune – I didn't forget about you," she remarks, extending the tray toward me. I accept it gratefully, lifting it to my lips – it's not too bitter, and it's nice and warm; it's a great blend.

"I didn't do anything, Uni – I just, well, thanked her for last night."

"Oh? You actually heard about it?" she says with feigned surprise. "That's good – I'll still shoot Plutia if she ever comes to Lastation, though."

"I prefer you wouldn't do that," I say, and Noire nods weakly, which catches both of us off-guard. "Welcome back to Planeptune, Noire.~"

She rolls her eyes, seeming to regain herself. Was it really that overwhelming? I should thank her more often. "Don't injure foreign CPUs, Uni. Plutia didn't do anything wrong – I told you this." I kinda' disagree with that, and I notice Uni does, too, but we both say nothing. Noire's a lot more honorable than I thought. "We don't need to tear apart the balance we have over a disagreement, and it just… isn't worth it. No harm done."

Uni mutters something, but sighs in resignation, sipping quietly from the third cup on her tray. In the meantime, I finish my cup as I stretch. I'm starting to feel a little more awake already! "So, um, Neptune. Is there anything else?" Noire asks, and I blink.

"Nnnnot really. I wanted to see ya' before I got to working today, and I just wanted to say, well, yeah. Don't make me say it again! I'll blush,~" I tease, covering my face with my spare hand as I coyly look away. Uni snorts, and Noire shakes her head. I wince, feeling Uni's boot suddenly wedge into my hip, and as I look up at her in confusion, I remember! "Oh, uhm, uh, Noire."

"…Hm? Yeah?" she says, shifting awkwardly. She downs her cup of coffee, setting it back on Uni's tray, and I opt to do the same. "What's up, Neptune?"

"Do you, uh, wanna' hang out sometime soon? Make up for last time?" I inquire, not even sure when or how – but Uni said it might be a good idea, so I might as well take her word for it. Though, I don't know where to even begin with stuff like this.

She pauses, her posture suddenly… brightening? Whoa, even her eyes light up a little. She was right – this must've been a really good suggestion. Points to the little sister! "I… I mean, yeah, I suppose. I don't think I have anything too strenuous on either day. How's it look, Uni?"

She smiles. "Relatively light until next week, since we overclocked for the last few days. If anything, this is the calmest week in Lastation history – and _that's_ putting it… lightly." I snort, but she glares at me. "It wasn't intended."

"Smoooooth."

"Shut up, you idiot."

Noire drums her fingers on her thigh as her eyes stare into the distance, and I discover, for once, that I'm genuinely curious as to what might be going on inside her head. She seems… calmer, which is a strange word for it, but that's _exactly_ how I can describe what I'm seeing. Brain, work with me! C'mon, you know what I mean!

"So, Neptune," Uni continues, obviously taking control of the situation. "What would you suggest, and when are you going to be free?"

I rub my chin contemplatively, thinking. "I don't know when I'll be done with my Guild work today, nor tomorrow, but I could, uh, probably say I'll be free by like, sunset?" I say, trying to be logical. I don't know what Histy has for me, but I could _definitely_ probably wrap things up by nighttime. I eye Noire, who seems to have zeroed in on the conversation again.

"Sunset… so probably around six or seven at night, then," she states, raising a finger to her lip, rubbing it absentmindedly. I feel my face redden, finding the sight actually… really nice. Crap, no, I'm not supposed to think like this – remember your training, Neptune!

"Think that'll work for you, Neptune?" Uni asks, and I frown.

"As long as nothing comes up, that's a given," I say, and Uni shakes her head as Noire bites her lip, nodding.

"That's… fair. You can call us if… ah, that's right," she stops, turning to Uni. "Hey, Uni, I hate to ask, but…"

"The phone? Sure, Big Sister. I'll be right back – Neptune, stay put," she commands, pivoting on her heel as she heads back into the Basilicom with the tray and cups, and I tilt my head.

"…The phone?" I inquire. "You girls got me a new phone?"

She grins slightly, shrugging. "We were going to drop it off last night, but got sidetracked. I'll just say – don't lose this one, this time, alright? Before you head off to complete all of your Guild jobs for the day, I'll show you the reason _why_ you should actually care about the phone in the first place… again."

Huh? "Again?"

"The last one was _also_ a gift from me, but it's fine – Uni and I don't have as much to spend our income on as the rest of you do, it seems, so I'll just chock it up as a wise investment. You can communicate long distance with it, either vocally or by text, and since I brokered deals to have towers installed in all four of our cities, we can all contact one another in an emergency."

I whistle. "That sounds impressive. That's really innovative, Noire."

She shakes her head. "The base idea has always been there – mounted telephones have been a thing for as long as I can remember; we just discovered a way to make them portable and useful for the average person on the go. The battery was supplied by Lowee, and Leanbox tweaked the main UI – Lastation created the operating system, is all. They're being introduced at a rapid rate, so… just don't lose this one, alright?"

I nod, peering around us. She's right – everyone here has a little gadget against their ear, and they're talking like they've got someone next to them. And I just thought they were all nuts. "I'll do my best, Captain! Even this wise, venerable elder will conform to the current ages!"

"…You're such a dork."

Uni soon returns, carrying a purple-colored metallic box, and it occurs to me that _that_ is the illustrious phone. She flips it open, powering it on as she hums, tapping through it rapidly – my eyebrows arching in shock. I stand up, looking over her shoulder as she tabs through page after page of random things popping up on this little thing before pressing one button, and _poof_ , everything vanishes. I whistle again, and she smirks, handing it to Noire.

Noire then beckons me over, blushing a bit as I rest my head on her shoulder, but she says nothing. "Alright, first – see these buttons down here?" I nod. "These are your input buttons. The numbers represent… well, numbers, and these upper ones are for answering and ending calls, and scrolling through the menus. Press _this_ one, and it opens up your phone's contacts."

"There aren't any, though?" I point out, noticing it's as blank and Blanc with a 'K.'

She nods. "That's where that changes. You press _this_ button, and then opens uppp…"

" _Add Contact_?"

"Yup! So, I'll quickly type mine in – Uni, do you mind if I add yours, as well?" We glance over at her, and she shrugs nonchalantly. "I'll take that as affirmation. Alright, see how I enter our names, then our numbers?" I nod again. She smells kinda' nice – but I think I'm more impressed with this thing. Or maybe just that everything is seeming calm and normal again. Hard to say. "Then, you can now select us off this list to either call or send a message by text." She quickly explains the 'texting' system to me, and then smiles. "I'll also add Blanc and Vert for you – you can add Nepgear later for practice since she should have one already, as well."

"…Nep Jr. has one of these?" I ask incredulously. "She doesn't seem like…"

Uni flips open her phone, pressing a couple buttons before handing it to me. She motions for me to put it to my ear, but I first notice how it's a silver color. So plain. Lifting it to my ear, I hear a click, and then…

"H-hello, yes, Uni? This is Nepgear!"

"…Whoaaaa, Nep Jr.! You're actually there!"

"I told you, Neptune – it's long distance," Noire reminds me.

"…Sister?! Y-you're…"

"They're giving me a phone, Nep Jr.! I _swear_ this is cool. I didn't know they did these – I thought it was just lame games!" I remark, handing back the phone to an impatient Uni. She sighs, putting it to her ear as she clears her throat.

"Neptune came to say hello before she would begin her work – we are not going to let her hide here. You don't need to worry, Nepgear; she and Big Sister just needed to talk a little, okay?" And then, a mumbling Nep Jr. voice on the other side. "No, no – we're okay. I told you already. We're just getting our work done today."

"…I swear you can't sometimes tell them apart from regular teenagers," Noire remarks softly, and I shift my attention upwards, watching her. "It's kind of pleasant, really; they're able to get along so much better than the four of us sometimes do."

I shrug, grinning. "They got together _after_ we all had a couple big arguments and settled some of our differences to become friends, though. Still, maybe you're right – they need to be able to act like kids now and then."

"Well said, Neptune. Now, um… not that I'm really embarrassed, but you're kind of…"

I blink, glancing down. Whoa, cleavage. Ah, wait, that's not the point. I lift my head off her shoulder, stepping back as Noire hands me the phone. I smile, tilting my head. "I appreciate it, Noire. Thanks for showing me!" I chirp, and she nods.

"Just don't lose this one, alright? Ah, the charger… Uni…," she pauses, eyeing her sister who seems far more inclined into talking about something that they _must_ want to keep from our ears – she moved like… ten feet away! Noire frowns, sighing, as she turns her focus to me. "You'll have to ask Nepgear to lend you her spare, since I _think_ she has two from when we first beta-tested these."

"Why would she have a beta-test version? This's the first I've heard of it."

Noire smiles, shaking her head. "We let our sisters test them first instead of having us do it, since their conversations, as predicted, last longer. As you can see."

I purse my lips, nodding. "You're… surprisingly right. Are the charger things universal, or something?"

"They _should_ be, for now. As we evolve the technology that they utilize, they should undergo quite a few changes, but for now, yeah. Don't worry too much," she states, exhaling. "Though, you should probably get started on your work – you've already lost a lot of time standing around here with us."

I blink, staring down at the gadget – surprisingly, I can see the time on this thing. It says… "Nine fifty-two?! Ah, crap! Okay, gotta' run – thanks Noire, Uni! I'll catch ya' later!" I exclaim, quickly fumbling it into my hoodie's pocket as I exchange it for the journal, flipping it open. Okay, first is… more medicinal plants?! Aaagh, that means I have to look for more spots that they might grow in!

Histyyyy!

 **Noire interlude, toward twilight.**

I sigh, sitting down at one of the many rest areas throughout Lastation, staring up at the sky. It's definitely time – that's for sure. But, I get the feeling that she'll not be able to make it; it's a nagging suspicion that won't disappear. I want her to, I really do – but… I can't exactly keep raising my hopes when she's _just_ adjusting to a new schedule.

I'll be as patient as I can; if not today, there's tomorrow. We're immortal, so I guess it doesn't matter either way, but… it does hurt. It hurts a lot, being put second repeatedly. Though, I won't let it break me. I have too many people depending on me to begin sulking. Uni, especially, keeps looking up to me. If I stumble, I'd just let them all down.

Haah, I need a break. I hope she manages to pull through. At least tomorrow would be enough – a little bit of time to unwind, instead of getting more and more wound up. Maybe I _am_ being a little selfish, but I'm doing my best. I pull my phone from my shirt pocket, pressing one of the buttons to light up the screen as I check the time. Six-thirty-four. No notifications, and no signs of her in the city. I don't think we even set a location for it, if I remember.

I'm getting too worked up. I'm not going to monopolize her – she's a very free and independent person, and everyone around us depends on her whether they say it or not. Me, especially, if I'll be honest with at least myself. And people like Plutia – even if I can _obviously_ tell that they're my rivals… I can't try and force her to cut ties with them. She's still one of Neptune's close friends. I'd be a horrible and jealous person if I did that, so I can just bear with it. Hopefully she'll notice my feelings if I keep trying and waiting.

Yes. I can slow down this void for a while longer. I'm strong – the strongest of the Goddesses. I've been alone for a long time, and I can keep doing it until she finally recognizes me. Until she finally _sees_ me for what I am – a potential soulmate.

Instinctively, my body has already dialed her number, and I have the phone to my ear. I listen intently to the ringing, each loop of the tone sounding louder and louder. I wonder if she even remembers how to answer… ah?

"Hey… Neptune?" I ask cautiously. It _did_ make the sound of answering, though I hear silence on the other end.

"…Hey, Noire…," she manages back after a few moments, and I frown. She sounds dead tired. "Sorry about the… lack of pep."

I lean back in my chair, exhaling. Don't let the worry sound, it might upset her. "That's okay. Are you… alright?" I ask, feeling I'm handling this well enough. Thousands of words, phrases and demands ring through my mind, but I bite my tongue – the sensation of the pain dulling them. Stay focused.

She laughs darkly, and I hear her trudging through the forest. "Yeah. I just got done, I think. I'm just… tired. Ah, what time is it?"

I bite my lip, contemplating. "It's… seven-thirty-six."

She inhales, sighing. "I'm… running late, then."

I quickly lurch forward, waving a hand even if she can't see it. "No, no, it's okay – it's already too late for me, anyway. Don't worry about it. I've got some things I need to get done for tomorrow, anyway, so how about you go get some rest and take a relaxing shower, okay?" I spit out, fretting. Hopefully she doesn't check the clock. She'd feel obligated.

She hesitates for a few moments, I can tell. Especially with the way she stops breathing until she replies. Ah, there's the inhale – she's decided. "…Alright, if you say so. I'm sorry, though."

"It's okay, alright, Neptune? There's always tomorrow, so just go get some rest. You've earned it."

"…Alright. Thanks, Noire. I'll see ya' tomorrow, then."

"Yeah – good night, Neptune," I say, bidding her farewell. I press the button to hang up, staring at my phone for a few moments before closing the lid. Standing up from my seat, I exhale a long-held breath, and laugh bitterly as I stow it away, turning to proceed toward the Basilicom.

This was the right course of action. She needed the rest – demanding her time now would have been _selfish._ I don't want to be _inconsiderate_. I'm not that desperate. I'm not going to be clingy. I'll be fine. Tomorrow, for sure.

 _It's not going to happen tomorrow, either, is it?_

I can already feel a part of me that knows the answer, and that makes my laughing feel all the more humorless. I manage to keep it together as I enter my Basilicom, using the elevator in the center to ascend the many floors to my personal room. As the doors slide closed behind me, I finally slide against them while clutching my shoulders, the tears beginning to stream down my eyes.

It's hopeless, isn't it? I'm just wasting my time and getting myself excited over another let-down.

She's not mine to monopolize – I can't _own_ her. She isn't the type to be tied down. She's free, independent – she's the light to people getting swallowed up by their own shadows. She can't be bound.

Why's it hurt so much?

 _Neptune. Please. Be there tomorrow._

 **Neptune – the day has passed, morning has dawned once more.**

Getting out of bed, I can already tell that I'm not going to function as well today as I did yesterday, or the day before, or any of the days before that. I'm steadily getting more and more fatigued, and I'm starting to feel serious and _responsible._ This word doesn't apply to me very well – I'm _not_ supposed to be the serious type. I can fit the role, but the transition isn't supposed to be permanent.

I sigh, fishing my new phone out of my pocket as I check it. It was really nice of Nep Jr. to get me more hoodies like this, and even nicer of the twin Tsuns to give me a _second_ phone, apparently. The time is only five-forty-three. It's _so, early._ I shake my head, cursing my role as CPU for a brief instant – the amount of stress this is starting off with might end up giving me hair the same color as Noire's HDD form. That's scary to imagine in of itself.

Speaking of Noire, I tab onto her contact information and smile, contemplating. Should I try giving her a call? It's early, but supposedly they're always already up, so… why not? I hit the dial button, lifting it to my ear as I make my way to the Guild, whistling.

 _Riiiing. Riiiing. Riiiiiiiing. Click._

"Ah… mornin', Neptoon…," I hear a groggy, sleepy voice through the phone, and my eyes widen. Is _that_ what she sounds like when she wakes up? So adorable.~

"Good mornin', Noire! I see you're trying to be a normal person and sleep past five in the morning?" I say with a smirk, hearing some shifting. These things have impressive microphones, now that I'm starting to think about it.

"Ah… uh… nooo… I just… had a rough night's sleep, that's all," she explains, though it sort of seems like she's picking her words carefully. Did something happen? "I'm getting up now, though," she says, and I hear her stand up. I blink, able to make out every single detail of her changing, and I can't help but feel even _my_ face flush a little red at this discovery. "You… went quiet?"

I exhale sharply, my mind hurrying to think of an excuse. "Ah, uh, I was just enjoying how my city looks in the morning. It's such a nice experience being up this early. Ahahaha…"

She sighs while I hear her fighting with her hair. "I _know_ you're… not a morning person. Sorry… that Histoire's being so… stubborn today. Haaah. I need coffee…"

A door opens in the background. "Ah, good morning, Big Sister. You're just waking up?" the voice is kind of hard to make out, but I can tell it's Uni by two words in that sentence. Heck, even the greeting would be enough, actually. _No one_ talks to Noire like that besides Uni.

"…Yeaaah. Could you… get me some coffee?" The way she's groggy and a little slow is actually kind of cute – it makes her seem a lot more human. Maybe I should record it to prove that even the Goddess of Work sometimes struggles to get out of bed. Still, I wonder what kept her up?

"…Sure thing. Can we… talk later, then?" Uni replies, her tone somewhat wary. Maybe she picked up on it too. "Ah, are you talking to someone?"

"Yeah, sure… and yeah," she yawns, "it's Neptune."

"This early? She learned how to use her phone quickly."

"Mm," Noire replies, making a cat-like sound as she stretches. "Neptune, you ought… to focus."

I chuckle. "I will, I will.~ I just wanted to say hello – I'll see you later today, then?" I ask.

A pause. "…Ah, ah! Y… yeah, right," Noire replies, sounding somewhat flustered. Did she forget? "It'll be… seven?"

"I'll let ya' know if it'll be earlier," I say, stepping into the Guild building. Generic Quest Giver #1 eyes me with the same unpleasant look as the first day I stepped in here, but hands me the journal regardless. "Thanks, Generic…"

" _Don't_ keep calling me that. People might think it's my name. My name's actually…"

"So, Noire – what are you doing until then?" I inquire, skimming through the journal. It's nearly identical to the last two days aside from some variations in monster locations, though, that's almost reassuring. I'm getting the hang of this – I should be done sooner than usual.

She makes a contemplative sound. "That's… probably some paperwork after I run through the Guild's stockpiled tasks since last night?"

I blink. "Whatcha' mean?"

"Ah, um… do you really want to know?"

"…Probably not, but tell me so that Histy's lecture won't hurt as much."

She laughs darkly. "I guess that's fair. The quests flowing in are basically endless for the Guild – after we accept a stockpile of them, by the time it takes us to complete them; there's usually five or ten more already. I check in the early mornings and evenings before I call it quits for the day to work on paperwork and the like."

"…So you do this twice a day? Man, Noire – you're amazing."

Frantic movement on the other side. "I-I'm not. I've just got a lot of practice with this. Uni helps me a lot when the quests seem to be more plentiful. Otherwise, she handles the paperwork while I'm out in the field – we have a bit of a system going on at all times. Ah, you're back – thank you. Same brew as usual?"

"Mm. Stronger, though, since you seem to need it. You're telling Neptune about the helplessness of her situation?" she scoffs, chuckling mischievously. Damn mini-Noire.

"It's not… helpless, so much as it's… constant? We're CPUs – our job is to endlessly defend our nations. The monsters aren't going to listen to diplomatic reasoning, so…" She trails off for a moment, drinking the coffee somewhat noisily.

"You're really not much different than anyone else in the mornings, are ya', Noire?" I ask rhetorically, my lips curled. "It's kinda' cute to see even you can be human."

I hear Uni snicker while Noire grumbles in annoyance. "Just… shut up, you dork."

We sit in silence for a little while until I hear her stretch again as the two quietly discuss their paperwork and tasks for the day. Deciding it's probably for the best that I get myself moving, too, I excuse myself. "Alright, girls – I'm gonna' go ahead and get to work so I can wrap stuff up pretty quickly. I'll catch ya' later today."

They pause, both simultaneously responding. "Work hard and be safe, Neptune."

Deciding to end it there, I hang up and stretch, eyeing the screen. Six-o'-four. That's not as bad as I expected – I thought the phone call would end up being a whole lot longer, so this works. Narrowing my eyes on the journal, I flip through the locations of the monster reports – since everything else is the same, I might as well only focus on this part, right?

Time to go get those medicinal plants again, and then move on to get the rest done…!

Neptune, awayyyy.~

 **Blanc interlude.**

I growl, biting my lip in an attempt to stifle my anger. The pain and the blood help to calm me down slightly, but even this does not do much to sway my temper. Remember – this is not some top-level organization, and neither is it a powerplay by another CPU – nor is it even from my dimension. This could escalate into an international problem if I lose my cool…

Grah! Fuck it! That still _doesn't_ make it okay for these lazy shits to tell _me_ to remain calm! Rom and Ram were _abducted_ right out from under my nose by some good-for-nothing shit-heads in _their_ dimension, and _I'm_ supposed to just let it slide?! Hell no.

I sigh, taking a minute to rest my head in my hand. Relax, relax – I already got them back and pulverized those bastards. The other dimension's me and Vert said they'd handle it, even if they exchanged a _knowing_ look of concern. Something fishy's going on, and it pisses me off that I don't know what it is. Maybe that's why this frustrates me even more – my sisters are currently sleeping after panicking and shivering like leaves. It wasn't a run of the mill kidnapping – the bastards had anti-crystals and were armed. It reeks, and I can't find evidence to link it to anyone.

Scratching my scalp in frustration, I punch the wall while exhaling. Yes, getting angry now will not solve it – I have another meeting with the other dimension soon. Though, since I'm so irritated, I might miss something or start a dispute if I'm not careful. It frustrates me, but I ought to ask someone from our dimension to accompany me.

Logically, the first person I should ask would probably be Noire, since she has a better eye and team for investigation and espionage than the rest of us. Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I quickly dial her and wait, hoping that she might answer.

 _Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Rii-Click._

"Ah, good morning, Blanc…"

"Look, ah – good morning, sorry about that – I need your help," I say at once. "I don't exactly have time to beat around the bush, so I apologize for being abrupt."

She remains quiet for a moment, breathing and then exhaling. "I understand. What do you need?"

"I'm going to be getting into a meeting at six today to discuss things with the Ultradimension. I need someone to sit with me while it goes on."

Silence, and then a sigh. Did she have plans? No, that doesn't matter right now. "What happened?"

"Rom and Ram were _kidnapped_ by people in one of their nations. Professionals. Anti-crystal, guns, a warehouse – the whole of it."

I hear a sharp inhale. "They were _what?_ "

"Yes. Do you understand now?"

She hesitates. Come on; nothing can be as important as this, you idiot. It's my sisters. "…Do you have any leads?"

"No. My teams have yet to find anything, but I'm not able to move as freely in their dimension as I should be able to. They aren't communicating like they should be, either, and they're not including me when they discuss the matter, oftentimes. I'm beginning to get _very_ pissed, so I need someone…"

"I know that already – I don't blame you. I'll…" C'mon. _C'mon._ Show me that you're not as much of a bitch as they are. She sighs. "I'll help you – though, we ought to involve Vert and… Neptune as well. This _is_ an international dispute – it can't go unrecognized, or we might look weak and disorganized. Even outside of personal feelings – representing that we are a unified dimension is important for the future."

I exhale in relief, nodding. "I concur. Bringing Neptune along might be a poor decision, however. She has closer ties to these people than we do."

Noire grumbles from the other side. "I… I know that, but we can't very well just exclude her, can we? We have to ask and at least notify her. You know that as well as I do."

I sigh in frustration. "Well aware. Do you want to make the calls, or will I?"

"…You can contact Vert. I guess I'll try my luck with Neptune."

"Good luck – you'll need it," I say, pacing throughout my Basilicom.

"Thanks. Hopefully, Vert will be around as well. Talk to you again soon."

"Yes. Call or text me should anything occur, and… erk, t-thank you, Noire."

"We're friends – it's what we do. Stay safe, Blanc." _Click._

Lifting my head to gaze upward, I laugh. Friends, huh? I _hate_ asking them for help, but, I suppose they're always there, reliably standing by, should I ever need to. I shake my head, my mind still a raging mess. She isn't so bad for someone who always maintains a distance from Vert and I – the only one that managed to bridge that seemed to be Neptune, and even _that's_ stretching it.

I feel some guilt for interrupting whatever plans she may have had, but my family and these matters rank higher to me. Staring at my phone once more, I dial Vert's number and sigh. This woman… the one I have the worst relationship with. She _better_ not make light of the situation, nor remain so engrossed in her crappy games that she won't help me.

I'll tear that oversized chest of hers off. Ah, it clicked.

"Hello, Vert…"

 **Noire interlude.**

…Well, this sense of dread hangs in my mind, and I acknowledge my utter reluctance to actually make the call. Yes, it's necessary – yes, I couldn't leave Blanc to fend for herself, and yes, it is the duty of a CPU to be strong and decisive, but… our plans _and_ convincing Neptune on top of it? I already feel like crying.

I rub my temple, exhaling deeply. I can't drag my feet too much – the evening will encroach before I know it if I do, and then it'll be worse. Staring up toward the ceiling, I set down the pen in my other hand, clicking through my phone. Neptune. And… Goddess help me, Call.

 _Riiiing. Riiiing. Riiiing. Riii… Click._

"Heya', Noire! How's your afternoon going?" she chirps, and I sigh aloud. "Eh? What's wrong? Something happen?"

I hesitate. "Neptune, uh… well, first, are you safe at the moment?"

"Uh-huh! Yeppers. What happened?" she asks.

"The, uh, thing tonight is going to need to happen… some other time," I manage out, the concept far more painful and upsetting to me than her, probably. "Something _did_ come up. Uh – it's… delicate."

"Lay it on me, sister. It sorta' sucks that this happened today, but it's probably important if you're cancelling."

"Yeah, um – it's an interdimensional dispute."

A pause. "…Eh?"

I scratch my neck, nodding pointlessly. "Blanc from our dimension, uh, well, blew up – Rom and Ram got kidnapped by some people who apparently were working out of _and_ were from the Ultradimension, and… it's apparently a mess. She's not keeping her anger under control as well as she wants, so she's asking that we accompany her to today's meeting so that, well, it proceeds smoothly," I say nervously.

"…Rom and Ram got kidnapped? Do we know by who?" she asks, her voice a little cold. "How does Blanc know it has anything to do with the gals from the other dimension? Maybe it was a radical group?"

"She doesn't have as much to go on as she'd like – apparently, they haven't been communicating very well up to now. I _just_ had this news dumped on me, too, so…"

She sighs. "That's… kind of a big problem, huh?"

"…Yeah. She wanted to get us involved since it's technically a big issue – the criminals were well-prepared with Anti-Crystals and genuine weaponry, so Blanc's… well, on edge."

"…I can, er, understand, but I don't think it has anything to do with the CPU girls."

How to word this carefully? I might fracture any chances… "I… don't really intend to presume or assume. We'll discuss things at the meeting, and if it feels off, we'll come up with something – but, I want to believe we _aren't_ suffering terrorism by, well, ourselves."

She huffs. "You're… you're right. I shouldn't be biased just 'cause I know them, but, Noire – they're not bad girls."

"I know, Neptune. I wouldn't say they were – I'd technically be insulting a part of myself in that estimation. But, are you almost done with your tasks? We'll be assembling at six somewhere – wherever Blanc decides to tell us when I inform her that you're attending."

"What's she doing right now?" she asks.

"She's contacting Vert. She left me to talk to you."

"…Nice, ahahaha. I bet you were thrilled to have to relay this kinda' news, huh? Don't worry, Noire – I'm not upset. I'm just… a little exhausted is all." I frown, my heart aching a little. She's not having a good time of this week, I guess.

"I… gotcha'. I'm going to go ahead and get prepared – I'll have to probably talk to Blanc again and then Uni, as well. I can text you the location afterward, if you want?" I offer, and she makes a sound of affirmation. "Alright. Well… I guess we can figure out something else to do some other time, too."

"…Yeah. I guess. Well, I'll talk to you soon, Noire."

"Take care, Neptune." _Click._

…

I collapse backwards into my chair, letting it engulf me as I close my eyes, sighing. It's one thing after another, isn't it? Maybe this is just a sign that things aren't meant to be. I should stop worrying about it – it's not anyone's fault. I just need to remind myself of the priorities; I would be just as livid if this happened to Uni, and it _could_ happen to Uni. I exhale, eyeing my phone. My taskforce could begin digging already, if I wanted it to. Sending them to the other dimension's Lastation would be a folly since they might be tricked by the other me, and if I were to get involved snooping in Planeptune, I'd have more than just Neptune accusing me of bias, I think. So, naturally, that leaves Leanbox and Lowee.

I might as well – I _doubt_ either party is involved, but I might as well make sure. Alright, time to make some calls.

I still feel that there's a bad omen brewing.

 **Neptune; the evening hours have come, the meeting's location designated and the time arriving rapidly. Now residing in Leanbox.**

Staring up at the tropical-seeming resort Basilicom of the city, I find myself feeling like, three times as tired as this morning. I can't help but feel that the string of events has been spiraling downward, and that's putting it mildly. When I said I'd embrace change – I didn't mean throwing _these_ kinds of curveballs at me, life! Objection!

Complaining mentally isn't going to make any of this go away, is it…? I sigh. I already called Nep Jr. and told her about me being out later, and Noire already gave me the time and place, and here I am at… five-fifty-one. I might as well head in – hopefully I can mediate a peaceful resolution if we don't already have one in the works. Everybody's too tense and weird lately.

Hopefully Histy eases off a little if I do an okay job here. I'm not slacking off anymore, I swear!

Trudging inside, I'm greeted by a polite receptionist who guides me further in, and I notice Vert must have been redecorating – new paint, larger portraits of various types, and a more regal, tropical feel in general. It's kinda' cool since I never really thought she'd fully embrace it, but maybe she likes her counterpart more than everybody else.

I wonder if Plutie's attending? I have a nagging suspicion that people might end up accusing her, and it irritates me as I don't think she'd condone it. I don't have any proof one way or the other, though. I need to talk to Histy about maybe finding people who can research and investigate stuff for Planeptune, for situations like this.

Being deposited at the doors to some huge chamber – or at least, that's how I look at it, since it's the only door on an extensively, comically-exaggerated hallway that may as well be a highway. I wonder if she created this specifically for situations like this… or is it for gaming conventions? I feel a large sweat droplet go down the back of my head, sincerely considering that it might be the latter.

Well, I might as well find a seat. Pressing on the door, it opens much in the same way as a dungeon door would, and I shake my head. Yeah, it's the latter. Vert, you're so… Vert, ahahaha. Ambling into the room, I notice it's dim – a wide crescent table around a center circle, barely illuminated by extravagant-seeming chandeliers above. At the center circle, I can see both Noires, Blancs, and Verts. I gulp. No Plutie yet.

"Ah, hello, Neptune," the other dimension's Blanc greets me, bowing her head awkwardly. "It's good to see you, even if under these circumstances… I suppose."

"Yes – but you didn't bring my wonderful Nepgear, Neptune! For shame!" the other Vert remarks, and I sigh. She still hasn't given up, huh?

"Neptune," the other Noire states, eyeing me with a neutral expression. My dimension's Noire stares at her with a strange look as I sit down next to her, and I nod.

"Hiya', other Noire. And, heya' girls. Sorry to see ya' under these circumstances," I say.

"It wouldn't be such an issue if they could…," Blanc starts, but Noire pats her shoulder. She mutters angrily under her breath, but remains quiet.

"Thank you, Blanc. Are we… waiting for Plutia? Did you get a confirmation?" Noire asks them, and each one purses their lips, looking away. "Okay… well, should we start, or wait longer?" She flips open her phone, the screen illuminating her face better than the lights – she looks really down, actually. She quickly jots something into it, sending a message before closing it, surveying the table. "Well?"

Vert smiles. "I, too, would like to hurry this along – I am not too busy, but a raid shall soon start, so I would prefer to not tarry on minute details. I do believe you three would prefer if we spoke without her, as it is, yes?" I observe Vert carefully, noticing her hands are interlocked under the table – her smile cold and emotionless. She's… serious.

The other Blanc fidgets, sighing. "…Yes, perhaps that would be best. Should I inform you all of our findings, or would you prefer…?"

Blanc stands up. "Let me remind you all that my _sisters_ were kidnapped and we have yet to find out by who, or why, other than that they are supposedly working from the Ultradimension – in case anyone forgot. I would like to… I would like to hear if anything has been discovered on your end before we try to play nice and kiss like… haah, yes, I'll sit down."

"Thank you, Blanc," Noire says, turning her head. "Yes – Ultradimension Blanc, do you have anything to report from your side? We will ask each of you individually."

"…Thank you. No, I don't have any concrete leads. Lowee's network has been mobilized, but we don't have enough leads nor enough people who can work under the radar…," she answers, bowing apologetically. She's really trying her best to be polite about this – is that because she's scared of our Blanc more, or because she understands how severe the situation is?

"We, of the Ultradimension Leanbox, also have not discovered anything. Our city has been turned over numerous times in hopes, but nothing has appeared as a result."

Blanc slams her fist on the table, her body trembling. I wince, not sure what to say as she starts up. "You mean to tell me, that you can't find one _god damn piece of evidence_ to solve this?! How _shit_ are you both at this?! It's a group of professionals, for…"

"Lastation has had nothing to report, either – I had my agents investigate some abandoned areas in my city, but found no traces," the other Noire says flatly, sighing. "Surely you aren't pointing the blame directly at us – we aren't capable of…"

"Shut the _fuck_ up, you snot-nosed bitch! Do you even know one thing about how much of a farce this is?! Rom and Ram are refusing to come out of their room – they're barely even speaking! That isn't _our_ fault – these shitty guys are working out of _your_ dimension. Do something about it before I jam that stick up your ass further up until you…!"

"That's enough, Blanc," Vert pats her shoulder, though she slaps it away.

"These are my _sisters_ , and you're treating it like it's nothing… What if it were one of you?!"

Noire stares at Blanc with sad eyes, the other side of the table saying nothing – the other Blanc fidgets and balks while the other Vert winces, the other Noire seemingly neutral. I find myself put off by both Blanc and the other Noire's behavior, but… I don't know what to say. If it were Nep Jr., I'd probably care just as much.

The door behind us opens, our eyes all simultaneously shifting to the source – Plutie waddling in, humming softly. She plops down beside the other Noire, waving to me, and I instinctively, wearily, wave back. "I'm here.~ Where are we so farrrr?~"

Noire purses her lips, eyeing me. She's hesitant. "We're discussing what we've found regarding the matter. Do you… have any leads, Plutia? How has Planeptune been?"

Plutie purses her lips, her eyes shifting upward as she raises a finger to her chin, making a long, drawn out sound. "Hmmm… yesssss.~ We already know quite a bit.~"

All eyes widen, narrowing on her. Blanc speaks first. "Talk, then, you airhead."

Plutie frowns. "That's meaaaan, but I'll let it sliiiide.~ Here, Noire, read,~" she says, passing the other Noire a note, who warily accepts it, flipping it open. Her eyes widen in horror, and she eyes Noire skeptically.

"Ah… Three intruders were detained in a Planeptune facility, the Basilicom reports. The three were in possession of Anti-Crystals and were discussing plans on who next to invade – several locations were marked on maps of Gamindustri, with portraits of various Candidates and CPUs pinned to a wall. Upon coercion, the intruders… divulged that they operate from… L-Lastation."

I blink. Blanc blinks. Vert blinks. Noire blinks. The other Noire fidgets, blinking, her eyes not leaving our Noire. The other Blanc and Vert shift their attention between the two Noires. Plutie hums casually, eyeing Noire.

"…What?" Noire says, her eyes widening. She quickly tugs her phone from her pocket, flipping it open while dialing someone. We watch her, silently, the shroud of suspicion probably starting to set in. One of the Noires? "Uni, I need you to cancel that investigation – I want you to shift the agents from the Ultradimension's Lowee and Leanbox to both Lastations. We have a message saying…"

"You… You were investigating us?!" the other Blanc suddenly starts, slamming the table. The other Vert narrows her eyes, focusing on Noire with disdain. "What right do you think you have, you…"

Blanc joins in, growling. "Like _hell_ you'd get anywhere if we let you do it yourselves. I asked her because our dimension's Lastation has the most elite covert operations of all."

Both Verts shift their attention to Blanc, their expressions bewildered. "You aren't allowed to do that, Blanc," Vert states coldly, and Blanc turns her head to stare up at her.

"What the hell do you know? You aren't the one with the traumatized sisters. I made a call that I can _damn well_ sit with. Now then," she stops, centering her focus on the other Noire. "Talk, you high-browed bitch. I _know_ that our Noire's innocent, so what the hell do you have against us? Against Rom and Ram?"

"…Yes, you heard me, Uni – apparently the terrorists were working from Lastation. Double back on our city and send a group to sweep the other Lastation at once. No, don't let them back down if opposed – this isn't the time to worry about it. Figure things out immediately. I'll take responsibility, so…"

"Hmmm~, do you know that for sure, other Blancie?~" Plutie says, the room stopping. Noire's conversation cuts off as she shifts her attention to Plutie, blinking.

"Excuse me, airhead? That's not my name, and I'm definitely sure. She has her own sister; she wouldn't pull this shit."

"But… hmmm… why would Noire work in her own dimension, I wonder?~" she suggests, ice hitting the room. I shiver, the rest of the table going silent. "If the other Noire's agents are so great… wouldn't they know how to…?"

Noire slams her fist on the table, and I hear Uni trying to say something as the phone clatters to the floor. "What the _hell_ are you saying?! I would _never_ do that to Blanc! I wouldn't do that to _anyone_! I don't care how messed up you think I am, but…!"

"Don't guilty parties always get irrational when accused?~"

"This isn't the time for jokes, damn it! Ugh, Uni, get to work immediately. It's not worth arguing. I want every inch of both Lastations sweeped, so…"

"I didn't give you permission to go through my city," the other Noire states coldly, crossing her arms. "I don't have the teams currently capable of infiltrating other cities, so I'm incapable."

Noire pales, her eyes twitching as she glances toward me. I sigh, looking away. I don't know what to think.

Even in the silence, I swear I can hear something shatter. Is it my imagination?

"I wouldn't do it. There's no benefit. I love Rom and Ram," she states, her voice starting to change. "Why would I have my agents reveal themselves like that, anyway? I'd frame someone if I wanted to do that."

No one says anything.

Uni can be heard on the other side of the phone, shouting in an attempt to be heard, but I can't make out the words.

"I wouldn't do it. Blanc, you know that… right?" she asks.

"Of course, Noire. I know you'd never do that to my sisters. Fuck it, we're done here," Blanc says, spitting on the floor. I raise my head, seeing her toss Vert an inexplicable expression who bows to everyone, smiling still. "I'm not wasting my time here – I have my own theories now. C'mon, let's get you out of here. You're shaking."

"I didn't do it. I didn't."

"I know you didn't. These bitches are as cold and catty as they can get."

The door closes, Vert bidding each of us farewell. She locks eyes with me, a swelling disappointment in her chest, but she says nothing.

I am left with the Ultradimension girls, trying to weigh things out – someone's lying here…

…but who? And why?

Someone texts me, and then another one. I fumble my phone out of my pocket, wondering.

Uni – Don't you ever let me see you come to Lastation.

Noire – Im sorry

I sigh, staring at it, feeling even more fatigued than before. Plutie wouldn't lie about this… right? I toss her a glance, feeling my blood run cold. She's staring straight at me, just like that night – her eyes just as weird as last time.

And she's smiling as if nothing is wrong.

 **Blanc interlude.**

"It's okay, Noire. Really," I try to say, even if we all know that that isn't the case. My blood is _boiling_ with rage. I'm doing my best just to not lose my cool and pummel everyone in that room – Neptune included. "We know that you're not as catty as those bitches. C'mon… relax. Ugh, Vert, help me out, will you?"

Vert follows along with us, saying nothing, and my eye twitches in aggravation. Some help _she_ is. She suddenly pulls out her phone, dialing someone. "Save all footage and audio from that room. Hold it for me to look over when I return. I will be gone – have someone notify my guild at once that I will not be available. Yes. Keep eyes on each of them until they depart from our nation's premises. Yes. Thank you."

She hangs up, and I feel Noire tremble and shake – my attempt to wrap an arm around her failing miserably as I can't find a place to hold her comfortingly. This crap isn't my norm. Being pissed off and tearing their heads off would be easier. Fuck the interdimensional treaties. Noire's sobbing into her phone as Vert finally closes the distance, wrapping her arms around her as well, shushing her softly. Ah, she's actually acting like a respectable person for once.

"Calm down, Noire. We will get to the heart of this matter – as a trio, or as a unified front, it matters not – and we will stand by you. You must relax, okay?"

"I _can't._ "

Vert and I lock eyes, and we both frown, sighing.

Now, we have both of my sisters _and_ two of our best friends out of commission.

Maybe I need to prepare to knock some bitches out, after all.

 **Neptune, later that night.**

I'm standing out here, staring up at it – a sharp edge stabbing into my heart… with a gun to the back of my head, literally!

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here," Uni states, her voice and tone as sharp and hate-filled as a voice can get. "I told you to. _Stay. Away._ From this city. Can you even read, you insensitive dumbass?"

I smile, though I don't think she can see it – nor will she let me turn my head. "I… don't know."

"You've done more damage than you could ever have hoped. I wonder if you're as twisted as that Plutia girl is. Do you even care about my sister at all?" Uni berates me, the gun jabbing further into the back of my head. There are people wandering past us, but they have nothing to say – and the Basilicom guys have their weird weapon things crossed to bar me from rushing inside. "Actually, let me rephrase that, since you _are_ here. What the hell are you planning to do?"

"I… don't know, actually…" I hear the gun cock.

"That's not good enough. Give me a better answer, or I'll happily accept the title as the 'First Candidate to Ever Kill a CPU' and never look back."

I pause, remaining silent. I came here unconsciously – my mind's been blank since the meeting. No one has said anything to me from our dimension's side since, and I listened to all of the different voices and opinions from the girls in the Ultradimension, but… it all feels hollow. Very hollow.

On one hand, I _don't_ think the other Blanc and Vert are involved. I can't help but suspect Plutie and the other Noire, but I can't rule out, well, Noire, either. No one knows anything, and I feel very empty. The text, the way she was acting as she left, the look from Vert – it's stabbing me, like the gun behind my head is. I probably ought to vocalize something.

"I… wanted to try talking…"

" _About?_ "

"…Anything?" I state somewhat flatly.

"My sister's in there, dead silent, like a broken doll. You better have a better topic."

These words sting harder than I expected. "I… know. I don't know yet."

"I don't think you _do_ know, Neptune. For someone so damn smart with people and befriending everyone, you're _terrible_ at understanding the deeper parts of people. No, you've got _no damn clue_ at all. You know nothing, Neptune."

"I'm… I'm trying, alright?"

"It's not good enough. No, it's not alright – in case you hadn't realized it, Plutia is _breaking_ Big Sister. Your wishy-washy behavior is destroying my sister. It's not alright at all – _you're_ the most infuriating person I have ever met."

"What do you mean, breaking? Plutie's sticking up for her friends just as much…!"

"I. Don't. Want. To. Hear. It. Do you _really_ think she's just trying to be a good friend? You know what I see? A psychopath. She's attacking my sister, and _you're_ just continually ignoring it, pretending it doesn't exist. You piss me off."

I sigh, unable to do anything else. This isn't going anywhere good anywhere fast. I hear her words, but they aren't registering. I don't want to think Plutie's doing this just to hurt Noire. She has to have a good reason, and she wouldn't lie.

"…Let her in," an emotionless voice states, Uni's gun trembling as my eyes shoot upward. Noire stands, her hand on her hip, looking down at us from the Basilicom doors. Her eyes _are_ empty. Can eyes even do that? They look so… dull. _I'm_ doing that? "It's okay, Uni."

Uni suddenly hits me from the back of my head, shoving me onto the ground. "No, it isn't! Big Sister, stop letting her do this to you! Get angry! Get mad! Cry! Do something! Stop… stop disappearing!"

Noire says nothing, walking toward us – her strides devoid of anything at all, really. Each step strikes me in a way that I don't understand, and my heart feels tight as a result. She gently sets her hands on Uni's shoulders, lifting her off before helping me to my feet. "I'm okay, Uni. Go get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"…Please, just… Ugh! Damn it. Neptune, if you make her cry _now_ , I really _will kill you._ I'll never forgive you, and I'll… Damn it," she huffs, her eyes narrowed on me with hatred and spite, though there's also still a sign of pleading hope. What does she expect me to do?

"Come on, then, Neptune. You wanted to talk?" she says monotonously. I wince, nodding. "Follow me," she commands, and I follow after her, anything I want to say wedging in my throat before it can come out. I step into the elevator with her as she presses the buttons, and we ascend to the top – to where, I realize, I've stepped into her room.

It's spacious, and that word doesn't even do it justice – a gigantic window, shelves upon shelves of books and games, a large chunk closed off by a door – presumably her closet, I think – with the rest of the wall walled off aside from a tall archway that leads into what I think might be her bathroom. To my left, I see various couches and a massive bed with various pillows and plushies strewn about. Like, holy, crap. It's royalty.

She leads me over to the couch, offering me a seat as she returns to her bed, sitting on the edge of it while staring at me – I only now realize she's still in her outfit from earlier, meaning she never really got ready for bed – with the hollowest eyes I've ever seen. The sight of them is hurting me even more than the rest, now that I'm able to genuinely soak them in. She looks so… feeble, all of a sudden.

"Noire, I… uh…"

"I have a full investigation commencing throughout my city – we are searching in every possible way for any potential leads that may have hidden under our noses. I also scrambled the remaining agents through our dimension's Leanbox and Lowee at Vert and Blanc's requests – we will rule out our own cities from invasion and espionage. Uni is spearheading the Lastation investigation if you wish to speak about the matter."

I blink, listening – there's not even the slightest hint of life or emotion in her words. They're straight, professional, and cold. I wince, even. It's not Noire. It's the opposite of Noire. I don't like it. "I, uh… I'll ask later, but…"

"I have personally filed a request with the Guild, as well, to have any agents in their systems to also be on the lookout for evidence or the true culprit. I am currently under surveillance of my own people at my request to prove that I am innocent."

"I… I see, but that's…"

"I am also going to remain uninvolved in future discussions, as I am suspect. I will not derail the focus of any diplomatic talks with suspicion of treason."

I can't take it anymore. I jump to my feet, though she doesn't even react. "That's… that's not important!"

"It is. Tomorrow, after Uni receives the first reports, she will confer with us to discuss her personal opinion. She is amply evident of being innocent of any knowledge on the matter as she willingly underwent a lie detection test to prove such. Mine is scheduled for tomorrow, as well…"

"Stop! Stop! That's… that's enough, Noire!" I shout, staring at her in horror. Not even the tiniest bit of a response. "You don't need to go so far to prove…!"

"I do. I am the greatest suspect in the current matter – whether Blanc and Vert agree is irrelevant. This is an interdimensional and international matter. I must follow as many protocols as possible, that remain at our disposal and can be readily utilized at a moment's notice."

My legs tremble as I feel tears welling up under my eyes. I take steps toward her, but she doesn't even really react. She just continues to sit there, spewing professional statement after professional statement. Where is my best friend? Where did she go? I did this? No!

"Please…," I start, wrapping my arms around her. She flinches slightly, and I feel a minute speck of hope suddenly surge through me. Even something like this is…! I hug her, exhaling shakily. "Please… don't disappear. I'm… I'm sorry, okay? I just… I don't know what to believe, and I'm not… Things are happening too fast, and I just… I'm not accustomed to this sort of stuff, so…," I can't manage a proper sentence, nor decide what I want to say, so I spew it out – but it all sounds like excuses. I can't keep running away from everything. " _Don't leave me,_ " I finally state.

"…I'm…," she starts, and I immediately feel her trembling in my arms. Her entire body is shaking. "I'm… I'm…"

" _Don't leave me, Noire. Please,_ " I say again, hoping. Keep pushing. This isn't a change I can accept. I won't lose her to change. I refuse!

She continues to say that single word repeatedly, her body shivering as her hands slowly lift up, grabbing my hoodie. I feel my resolve building as I collapse onto the bed, pulling her against me. Come on, I need you back, damn it! I can't lose you over something stupid like this – you're my best friend!

Something inside me freezes at that last thought. Best friend? Somehow, that word doesn't do it justice – the way I'm sitting here, the way I feel at the thought of losing Noire, to see her devolve into _that_ , it… it's not simply a best friend. She's not simply just my best friend. But… I don't know what to call her, then. She's… Noire. Just, Noire. She's always been there – a stable constant that I've never had to ever worry about disappearing, no matter what. And… now, with the possibility of her doing just that… I can't live with it.

I've noticed now that she's lifted her head, and once again, bitter cold washes over my entire body. Her eyes aren't brightening back up, but… once again, just like with Plutie – it's there. It's definitely not just my imagination. _Hearts._ Her pupils are contorted, twisted – the best example I can find to describe them are hearts. Her expression is desperate, frantic – on the brink of despair. It's nothing like how Plutie looks; Noire looks… like she's about to break in two.

" _I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…_ ," she begins repeating endlessly, and I wince. She's desperately clinging to me, her fingers digging into my sides now. She just stares at me, stating those two words over and over – the same as the text. It occurs to me, probably late, as she sniffles. " _I'm doing my best to show you. I didn't do it. I didn't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Don't stop looking at me._ "

I warily raise a hand, my body unconsciously acting as I pet her head softly. She jumps, but doesn't move as she just keeps rambling to me about how she hasn't done anything while apologizing, and I feel my heart crack a little. Why did I even consider it? She wouldn't hurt a single person. Not willingly, and there would never be a good enough reason to hurt Rom and Ram.

I screwed up. I doubted her, and showed it, when she needed my hand. I get it now, Uni – I really did do this, huh?

I exhale slowly, petting her head while holding her back still. She won't let go, but I'm adjusting to the pain of how desperately she's clinging. "I believe you, Noire."

Her voice hitches.

"It's okay. I'm sorry. I doubted you when I never should have."

A little life sparks in her eyes.

"I won't make that mistake again. I believe you."

A sniffle.

"I'm right here, alright? I won't look away."

Suddenly, like a dam breaking, my face gets plastered with tears streaming from her face as she collapses on top of me, sobbing. This would be probably the most heartwarming moment I've ever been in, but it's detracted by… her eyes aren't closing. Not even to blink. They're just permanently fixated on me, and… Maybe she's testing my resolve. Steeling myself for whatever may come, I stare at her heart-contorted eyes, watching the scab she put up to cover everything up tear off, the gravity and depth of my screw-up coming bare.

I'm… not going to be able to mess up again. Even I can tell that, looking at her like this. There's not another chance.

But since Noire didn't do it, then that means…

 **Uni interlude.**

I listen intently from the lower floor, sighing aloud. She didn't screw up this time. She's lucky – I really _would_ have shot her if she left Big Sister in a worse condition than when she came here. I don't understand Big Sister's obsessive love for Neptune; she's careless, carefree, and airheaded most of the time. I mean, yes, she has redeemable qualities – but I don't see how she could love someone so… opposite her.

Nonetheless, I will do my utmost to protect what's left of Big Sister – she's broken apart into almost nothing, and I have various people to thank for this. Neptune will serve as a plausible wildcard that might fix and repair her, or be both the first _and_ final nails in the coffin. If it comes to the latter, I _will_ kill her. Aside from her, though… there's the other Big Sister, and Plutia.

Her name makes my stomach churn and my blood boil. Anyone logical can realize that Plutia is even more obsessed with Neptune than Big Sister is – which shouldn't be possible, but apparently is. However, Big Sister is still a gentle girl and wouldn't trample all over everyone else – Plutia is. And attacking _my_ sister? She's made the wrong enemies.

I get the sense that _she_ is the actual cause of Rom and Ram's kidnapping, though I can't find any concrete proof. If this entire scenario was used as leverage to try and destroy Big Sister further, it would make sense despite being extremely roundabout, however… I don't think that Plutia is the sole perpetrator. Something tells me that the other dimension's version of Big Sister is involved, as well.

And I liked her, sort of. She's different from Big Sister, but I respected her. Now – I'm working desperately to find evidence of her involvement. No Lastation under my sister's rule in _any_ dimension would be incapable of a spy network and far more advanced technology than the other nations – it's just common sense. So…

I watch the videos that Vert had given me a copy of, frowning. I've continually rewound the 'big reveal' countless times. The expression on her face when Plutia gives her the note makes her seem guilty, but I have only speculation to back that up. After that… 'I have no team currently capable;' I could presume that this isn't a lie, but no one ever asked _where_ her teams that _are_ capable are. They were too focused on Big Sister's breakdown and Blanc's rage.

I'm sure Vert is well aware of it, too, but she probably won't be so forthright in investigation. Her target is probably Plutia, instead. And now, we have the other dimension's Leanbox and Lowee probably scrutinizing our Lastation, as well. Damn it; we have a giant mess on our hands that Big Sister has been hindered in being able to operate under. It's an intelligent game, and it's very high-stakes, so…

Just how far is that lavender-haired psychopath willing to go to sink her teeth into Neptune?

I shiver. Her expression is haunting – Big Sister looks broken and frail, yet she… looks utterly and wholly confident and destructive. Love is scary – I'm glad that I'm not involved in anything like this.

Eyeing my phone, I contemplate making a call – I could begin pressuring the other dimension's Lastation if I work intelligently. I need to make some sort of discovery soon – otherwise, things will soon become disastrous.

Neptune, don't screw up. You're the outlying factor in this mess.

 **Neptune; morning has risen.**

I open my eyes slowly, tiredly – exhaustion flooding over me even more than before. This time, though, it's mental fatigue. I'm sure of it. I breathe quietly, exhaling, rubbing my fingers… ah, right. I spent the entire night as Noire's pillow, waiting for her to calm down and finally close her eyes. Glancing downward, I watch my fingers rub her scalp gently, her eyes comfortably closed as she rests peacefully. I smile, enjoying the sight of this – compared to last night, it's the greatest relief I could ever see.

I shift ever-so-slightly, and watch in horror as she instantly stirs, her fingers gripping me again as she lifts her head up, staring at me. There's some light in her eyes again, but I can tell that she's far from stable. We lock eyes, saying nothing.

I gotta' say something. "Good mornin', Noire."

"…Morning, Neptune," she replies, a slight tremble in her eyes. "Are you… leaving?" she asks, and I arch my eyebrows in surprise.

"I was gonna' get out of bed and probably call Nep Jr., yeah – I have to still get my work for Planeptune done, and, well…," I trail off, contemplating looking away, but remember my agreement. This is still a test, isn't it? "I, uh… I do want to try and help prove that you're innocent."

She shivers. "I… don't really want you to go."

I nod, rubbing her head gently. "I know – I'm not gonna' go anywhere though; if I did, I'd let you know."

She lifts herself off me, still sitting on my legs as I prop myself up on my elbows. "I… I get it. I'm not… desperate, and I won't be clingy, so…"

A sharp stab. Right, Plutie's getting into her head. "You're not being desperate or clingy or whatever. Relax – I don't mind. I just have to get stuff done, too, y'know? I'm still a CPU."

She sniffles, nodding. "I know. You'll… talk to me later though?" she asks, and I grin. I like her being a bit more like this – it's better than empty and dead, and she feels a little more honest. I still don't know what to call her beyond of best friend, but I feel that it won't suit things anymore.

"I'll call ya' a couple of times today, and if ya' want, I can come back and let you use me as a pillow again, if you need to. Just, don't sleep with your eyes open again, will ya'?" I say jokingly, but watch her cock her head.

"…Eh? What do you mean?"

"You… uh, just never stopped staring at me. I thought you fell asleep."

"I know. I didn't."

A cold feeling sinks into my stomach as I exhale deeply. Shake it off – this should fade from her, shouldn't it? She's still in there, and this is just a temporary thing. "Well, just make sure you get more rest tonight, okay? We both need it if we're going to get stuff done."

"…Okay. Are you going to make that call?" she inquires, pausing as she glances toward the elevator. "I should call Uni, too…," she eyes me hesitantly.

"Lemme' dial up Nep Jr. now – you can watch me do it if y'want, Noire," I offer awkwardly as I retrieve my phone from my pocket.

"Mm," she answers, sliding in beside me. She blinks twice at me, not even hesitating, and I find myself _very_ unnerved at this point.

"O…kay, here we go," I state, drawing up my contact list. I see her instantly look it over in search of, probably, Plutie's name – but fortunately for me in this instance, I don't have it – as I click down to Nep Jr.'s name, hitting the call button. Lifting the phone to my ear, we stare at one another for a few moments before she sighs, rubbing her eyes with her fingers.

"…I should be okay now," she remarks, opening her eyes to reveal most of their usual life again, finally, as she stands up, stretching. "I'm going to go find Uni and ask about if we've found any new leads – are you going to say goodbye before you head toward Planeptune, or will you just head straight out?"

I contemplate it for a moment. "I'll come find ya', first. But, go check on your sister… and tell her not to shoot me, please," I request, watching her laugh as she nods. I'm pretty sure that she's just _acting_ composed and normal, which makes it all the worse to think that she might've done this before without me realizing it.

 _Click._ Ah, she answered.

"A-ah, good morning, Sister!" Nep Jr. greets me awkwardly. "Are you okay? You never came back last night."

I smile. "I'm just fine – I spent the night hanging out with Noire, and since it got late and I was sleepy, I just crashed here. No worries, no worries, okay?" I explain, opting to not touch upon the whole reality of it.

She hesitates for a moment. "A-are you actually okay then?"

I tilt my head, curious, and I notice Noire has also stopped what she's doing to listen in. Something's weird. "Yeah, of course I am. Why? Somethin' up, Nep Jr.?"

She pauses. "N-no, it's just that… Plutia came to spend the night, saying that she was waiting for you to come home. She said you told her that you allowed her to stay with us, so… I was just… wondering."

Instinctively, I grip Noire's wrist tightly – and sure enough, she tries to pull away, that façade of hers already broken. I breathe, exhaling slowly as I lock eyes with her. "Nep Jr. – I never told her anything like that. I never even offered for her to come over since we didn't say anything to each other yesterday aside from waving. I don't know what she said or what she did, but I didn't have any part in it."

She relaxes, slowly crumbling back onto the bed as I start rubbing her head again. Nep Jr. stops, and I hear her genuinely puzzled on the other side – she doesn't know anything about what's going on right now, then. "That's… weird. She left already, so maybe she was mistaken. Are you coming back to Planeptune today, Sister?"

I hesitate. Her eyes are on me, and more than anything, I don't blame her. "I… don't know. I think I might walk around Lastation today and help out here, since things seem kinda' hectic, y'know? Do ya' mind?"

"…No, I suppose not, Sister. Histoire will be upset, though."

"She can fret later. I've got bigger vows to uphold as a Goddess, right now," I say flatly before we bid each other a good day, hanging up. Looking over at Noire, I feel my expression falter. "She's…"

Uni suddenly appears from the elevator, her chest heaving. "Big Sister – ah, and… Neptune… - I have news. I managed to get a report from some of our agents – the other dimension's… ugh, Big Sister, you're being reported walking around the city, asking bizarre questions."

We blink simultaneously, exchanging looks.

"Since Big Sister is here, I will presume that we are being infiltrated," Uni explains, and both Uni and I's eyes widen as Noire stands up, rubbing her face while tidying her dress.

"I've had enough of this series of twisted events. It's time that we begin preparing a counterattack," she says coldly, sighing. "Neptune… can I trust you to…"

I grin at her, raising a thumb. "Whatever ya' need, I'll help ya'. This is getting too dramatic and nutty for me."

"Alright," she says, staring with empty eyes through the window for a moment before she shakes her head, gripping the ribbon at her neck. "This is going to be… difficult."

 **Noire interlude.**

Having explained and designated Neptune into her role, it leaves me with an intense feeling of unease. I'm managing to calm down my mind by staying focused on the bigger picture, though I don't know for how long this might work. I'll have to gamble on my sense of duty to outweigh my messy thoughts.

Having sent her to go confront the other me, I have Uni following me to my office. She tilts her head, looking up at me with explicit concern. "You can voice your opinion, Uni."

She pauses, biting her lip. "I'm utterly scared, if you're letting what I think you're letting happen. Do you really think…?" she asks, and I nod. I press on the door leading into my office specifically, approaching the desk as I sit down in it, resting my head on my hands.

"Yes. Hopefully Neptune will find some resolution for dealing with the other dimension's me. In the meantime, we seem to have rustled up the hornet's nest with Plutia – and I _guarantee_ she'll come straight here to find me. I don't know why she's going so far to hurt me, but I won't back down from a challenge," I state matter-of-factly, taking a deep breath. "She's picked the wrong Goddess to play head games with."

Uni nods, grinning. I'm not sure why, but it's nice to see her in a good mood. "How can I help, Big Sister?"

I smile wearily at her. "Aside from coordinating the agents, I'll need you to remain here with me – in case something happens, I might need your support. Ah, right. Have the cameras installed in this room turned on – record audio and video, in case we need it. I won't let them frame me again."

She raises her eyebrows, surprised. "You… knew?"

"Of course I did – the reaction was obvious from the other me, and Plutia's hatred of me makes it simple. I don't know _why_ they've done it, nor why they had to involve Rom and Ram, but I do know – that anyone who hurts my friends needs to be knocked down a peg or two." I pause, sighing heavily. I won't mention the fact that I was unable to tackle the issue at the time, due to Neptune's reaction to everything. It's best left unsaid. "Haaah. I didn't know having… a rival… was going to be so dangerous and political."

Uni smirks. "Only because she's psychotic. Let me go get you some coffee – you're looking really bad, Big Sister."

I hold up a hand. "Leave it be. I'll _need_ to look as beaten to hell as possible if we want to discern how far she's willing to take this."

Uni's concerned, frightened expression at this statement tells me the opposite of what I had hoped – the worst is coming, and Neptune and I are _both_ now at the heart of it.

Don't leave me behind, Neptune. No matter how terrible this is about to become. I won't hurt your friend, so don't leave me.

 **Neptune.**

I pace through the city, swiveling my head back and forth curiously as I search high and low. I don't know where I'll find her, but Noire _did_ say that I ought to talk to the other Noire and keep her busy. As to why, and from what, she wouldn't say, but I can sorta' guess that it has something to do with Plutie.

Honestly, it's all become so convoluted. This series of events, this last week – it's been a heck of a rollercoaster, and I don't think we've even hit the end yet. It's worrisome, but I can't even spearhead a solution for it anymore. It's so much bigger than me that I just… I don't know what to do anymore.

I'll have to have faith that Noire has a better solution than just riding it out. Maybe she and Plutie can sort out their differences, or something. Noire wouldn't go out of her way to hurt Plutie, even if Plutie's being cruel. I know she wouldn't.

I know that I'm being optimistic – but that's all I really _can_ be, at the moment. I have to keep moving forward, and that's that. Hopefully, I won't lose anything by the end of this, but… I'm not dumb. This isn't going to end well. Maybe I can at least resolve the bad blood between the two Noires, or maybe I can get a better grasp on what's going on, at least.

Noire's still so frail. Plutie, don't do anything more.

I frown, stopping my search for a minute. It occurs to me that none of us have contacted Blanc nor Vert yet today, and I consider the pros and cons of doing so. On one hand, I very well might make a good call and we'd have an extra couple of hands if something went wrong. On the other… they might make it worse – or rather, Blanc would.

Honestly, I don't know the answer to this choice – both answers are weighted with possible good and bad results. Peering around, I still don't see the other Noire. Where would she even be, I wonder? Out in broad daylight, or would she be trying to be discreet?

"Hey, Neptune," I hear from behind me, and I blink. Twisting my neck around, I discover the person in question as she stands behind me, nonchalantly staring at me. She frowns, crossing her arms. "…Yeah?"

Well, that was surprisingly easier than expected. I just had to stop and wait – who knew. "Hiya', other Noire. I was lookin' for ya'," I say, deciding that beating around the bush will not get me anywhere. This Noire is straighter to the point and less respectful should she not feel the need – a trait I noticed promptly after getting to know her during that lengthy period of time in the Ultradimension.

She nods. "I figured. I was looking for you, too, actually. Come on, let's go for a walk and talk, then," she states, motioning ahead of us. She matches my pace as we start forward, her eyes observing me intently. She has the calmer, more natural eyes that Noire had a week ago, but for some reason, seeing them on the other Noire just doesn't feel the same to me. "Do you want to go first, or should I?"

I frown. "It'll probably be best if you go first," I reason, and she nods.

"Probably. So, let me start with one simple question – what are your feelings over Plutia?"

I raise an eyebrow. "What's that mean? Plutie's Plutie."

She sighs, shaking her head. "I had the right guess, then. Alright, I guess, since things are going to be getting hectic, I might as well try to even the playing field for everyone. Neptune – how do you feel if I informed you that Plutia was… well, madly in love with you?"

I blink, cocking my head. "Whosawhatsit now? Plutie loves me? Like… how?" I ask, though I think I'm already well aware of what she's about to say.

"The affectionate kind – the one that leads to marriage or other things," she explains flatly, and it occurs to me that this Noire has no real emotion recently. She seems a lot more stable than my Noire, though. "How would you react?"

I scratch the back of my head, shifting awkwardly. "Um… probably… not at all? I don't see Plutie like that."

She nods. "I figured as much. So, all of her work is wasted. Okay, well – head's up; the girl's obsessively head-over-heels for you, and is currently on her way to see your dimension's version of me to mess with her head and get her out of your life."

I freeze, eyeing her in horror. "…Why?"

The other Noire laughs darkly, staring at me with pity and disdain. "Because both of them love you, you moron." She pauses, rolling her eyes. "I don't know why Plutia won't even look my way yet she's so obsessed with you – you don't even have a clue. You couldn't even figure out your 'best friend' is dependent on you nor that she's pushed you away from the Basilicom as they're about to clash, let alone that she's beyond hopelessly smitten with you. You're an idiot, and I've lost to said idiot. It's so stupid."

She starts to walk away to leave me completely awestruck and dumbfounded, and I manage to set my thoughts aside to ask her…, "Where are you going? Are you sure about all of this?"

She waves at me. "I'm done playing these mind games. I'm going to move on. And yeah – it's as plain as day. Welcome to reality, Neptune; you're the focal point of the most messed up love triangle that will ever be. Good luck – you're going to need it."

And with that, she disappears into the crowd. I think my legs buckle as I stare – not ahead, but just stare, her words floating around in my head. Plutie and Noire… love me? Is that what it is? Is that what this entire ordeal is about? Plutie's hurting Noire because she's… in love with me, too? But, that's… like, kind of surreal. There was never anything like this up until recently – it was always just fun, hanging out, moving along but never really going anywhere.

I know I asked for change, but… I don't think I knew how much I was going to get.

Ah. She said… that Plutie would be going to Noire's Basilicom to hurt her. C'mon, legs. Get up, I need to hurry back… though, what will I do when I get there? I stop dead in my tracks, hesitating. If it really _is_ love, and the other Noire's not just being irrational – which I didn't get the vibe that she was – then, getting the both of them to calm down and befriend one another again is impossible. Or at least, I don't think Plutie has any intention of trying. I don't know about Noire.

How would I even approach this kind of stuff? I mean, I _know_ I don't have any feelings for Plutie – she's always been a friend, but that's where the line's drawn. I can't imagine any more; especially with her HDD form and… tendencies. I shudder. Noire, on the other hand… I don't know. I don't know much of anything – I've never really thought about love or relationships or anything like that; I just stuck with having fun and kept moving along through the endless scope of time.

I have to address this, and… I know, that I have to address my feelings, too. If this whole thing revolves around me… Giving a weak answer or pretending nothing is happening will make it even worse. With that said… Where do I even begin?

I start pacing toward the Basilicom, sincerely and utterly confused.

 **Noire interlude.**

As I sit, fatigue starting to well up inside me, I glance toward Uni. She sits primly in the corner, her eyes never leaving me, concern remaining within them. I smile weakly, taking a deep breath. Ahead, I hear clomping footsteps approaching, little sweat droplets forming along my cheeks and neck. I'm nervous, more than anything. In what direction can I make this flow? Can I try to find an agreeable middle ground? I don't even _know_ this girl.

The doors fling open, and I wince as they smack off of the walls. Well, I'll have to get those repaired later, now. Ahead, I see her – her expression is unreadable, but her lips are curved upward. She still has something to say – some trick up her sleeve, I think; something to hurt me even further. Stay steady – it's just the three of us, now, so her methods are limited. I made sure of that.

Her attention shifts to Uni as she cocks her head, beaming. "Hellooooo,~" she says, Uni's eyebrows knitting in an unimpressed, unpleasant manner.

"Hi. Need something?" she replies, and I can't help but feel bad – I've unwittingly ruined a plausible friendship for my sister. She never spoke much of Plutia, but she didn't seem to _mind_ her, per-say, so… Sigh.

Plutia gestures thought with her finger to her chin again, humming. "Hmmm…~ Yes.~" She shifts her focus to me as she waddles further into the room as I lock eyes with her, clenching my hands together unintentionally. So now it begins. "Helloooo~, other Noire.~"

"Greetings, Plutia. What brings you to Lastation?" I ask as amicably as possible, though I feel my legs trembling. I'm thankful for this desk being of the bulky kind – I can't show her any weakness. This girl terrifies me, though; her determination is something to commend and to dislike wholly. "How may we help you?"

She leans her head to one side, that unnerving smile never faltering. Her eyes are heart-filled; I wonder if my eyes sometimes look like that, too? "Where is Neppy?~"

"Neptune is currently out – she'll be back sometime later. However, you already know that, yes?" I ask rhetorically, eyeing her.

"Hmmm…,~ I seeee,~" she replies, her eyebrows folding downward. Here we go. "…You know, you're a real problem, Noire.~"

"So it seems – I don't understand why I've earned your ire to this extent, but I suppose apologizing will not help. What have I done to offend you?" I inquire, to some extent sincerely wondering. I get that it involves Neptune – but I don't even know if there's a reason to be jealous of me.

"Neppy changes when she's with you.~ Her attention is always on you.~ She doesn't care about me as much.~ You're changing Neppy.~"

I raise an eyebrow. "I don't quite follow."

Her expression falters for a minute, the smile twisting for an instant into rage. "But you do,~ and that's why you need to go faaar, faaar, awayyyy.~"

"Hmm. I see. Unfortunately, I cannot do that – I am the patron Goddess of Lastation; I will remain here until my dying days," I respond, exhaling slowly.

We both go quiet for a few moments, Uni's attention shifting back and forth from one of us to the other – her expression far more blatant with concern than mine. I notice that she somehow brought her rifle, which unnerves me – I don't have any intention of hurting her. That would ruin everything.

"Neppy and I slept together a loooot, back when she was in my dimension,~" Plutia starts up again, and my eye twitches. She's going to start the head games again, is she? Stay focused, Noire. "She would alwaaaays nestle up with me when we were going to sleep,~ she liked to hold me and spend every moment with me.~"

"…I see. That's great for you, though," I hesitate, but decide I won't stand idly by, "you are no longer able to do that, are you?"

It's her time for her eyes to twitch, though she reapplies her constant smile as she begins digging her nails into her doll. It only just now occurs to me how hard she is squeezing it. "Truuuue,~ but that would change if you were gone.~"

"As I said, I'm not leaving."

"You're desperately hoping…~"

"I'm not _hoping_ for anything, anymore. That disappeared a long time ago – I will do my duties for my populace, and will stand by Neptune as her friend if that is what we will always be. I see no reason to focus on the smaller details." This is a lie, of course – I know that I'm not able to go back to pretending that I don't need her; last night was the final breaking point for me. But, I will bluff.

"A lot of things happened when we were alone,~ we took baths, we cuddled, we wrestled, we… hehehehe.~"

 _Twitch._ "If all you have to say are throwing remnants of the past in my face, I see no reason to continue this pointless conversation. Please leave, if you have nothing to say or compromise on," I state matter-of-factly. She needs to tell me about what _exactly_ happened in the Ultradimension at some point. I don't know where we stand, but she owes me at least that much.

She places her finger to her chin, humming again. "So I can't make you break down and go away?~" she inquires, and I shake my head, steeling my eyes. No weakness. "Hmmm… then I just need to _make_ you go away, right?~"

"You so much as lay a _finger_ on Big Sister, and I _will_ use force," Uni states finally from behind Plutia, having already drawn her weapon into her arms, the barrel pointed at Plutia's torso. "You won't die, but it _will_ be painful and you won't move for a while. Lastation-guaranteed-quality paralysis bullets."

I raise an eyebrow. "You perfected those? What a novel time to unveil them, Uni."

She smirks. "You've been busy, so I didn't have time."

We both narrow our eyes on Plutia, waiting. What method does she have to make me vanish? Chances are, it's something craftier than just trying to kill me right here and now – she _wants_ us to harm her, so that I'll seem like a villain, again. She _wants_ it to be an interdimensional issue. So, that begs the question… how does she intend to do it?

She can attack me – I'm a CPU all the same, and unless she transforms, she won't have the strength to choke me or anything. Uni would stop her from committing homicide, anyway. If she attacks Uni, however… it's a little fuzzy. I'd never let her harm my sister, either, but I can't utilize excess force. She has no weapons to make it seem as if we attacked her, either – thus far, all of the bases are covered, especially if we include the cameras taping us right now.

We sit in this stand-off, just watching one another. Plutia stands there, gripping her doll, digging her fingers into its eyes, beaming. It's unnerving, but it isn't grounds to act. Fortunately, the doll isn't Neptune, either; I saw her with that one once, so I know she has it, but this time, it's simply just me. I suppose it's acceptable – the craftsmanship could use some work, but I can't fuss about it as it was never offered to me as a gift, anyway.

I heard that this girl is a sadist – I can definitely see it now.

I yawn softly, rubbing my eye as the minutes tick on, and it occurs to me that she might be… No. She… No, it makes sense. She's waiting. She knows as well as we do that Neptune will return at some point, and _that_ is when she'll strike. But… how can that help her? Attacking us in front of Neptune would completely solidify our innocence in any event of self-defense.

She wouldn't attack Neptune, would she?

I sigh, my mind a little fuzzy. I didn't sleep at all last night – a result from just… staring at Neptune. I'm consciously aware of how very creepy and bizarre it is, but I couldn't help it. She was so cute, and I couldn't shake the idea that she would try and leave. Now I pay my penance, but I would probably do it again in a situation like that.

I'm holding things together surprisingly well. I'm glad that I'm running off an adrenaline rush while I focus on this little girl. I can't balk for even a moment.

Through the hall behind Plutia, I hear that familiar slow jog, uneasiness sitting within me. This will be the deciding factor – what will Plutia's grand move be? What does she have planned? Perhaps something only she and Neptune knew about? Or an attack on one of us? Damn it, I don't know enough about this girl!

Neptune eventually arrives, glancing around the room with a strange expression, her eyes shifting between the three of us. In particular, she focuses on Plutia and I as she sighs, frowning. "Heya', girls."

"Hello, Neptune," I respond.

"Hey, Neppy.~"

"Hi, Neptune."

She studies the scene, moving her attention to me. "What's going on?"

I frown, rolling my head back and forth. "It's difficult to explain. We're having a disagreement, and Plutia made a strange threat, so we're a little on-guard. Does that about sum it up?" I ask Uni, who nods.

"Telling someone you'll _make_ them 'go away' isn't something to be taken lightly," Uni continues, her fingers never leaving their positions as she observes Plutia intently.

"Did I say thaaat?~" Plutia says, smiling innocently. "I don't rememberrrr.~ Neppy, they're being scary.~"

"We have cameras recording our entire conversation – if we must retrieve the film to prove things, we will do just that. We of Lastation don't take kindly to accusations of lying. In our city, it's basically the gravest crime," I explain coldly, narrowing my eyes on her. What will you do…?

Her face suddenly flatlines, her eyes catlike as they scan over the room. "Hmmm… that's no good."

I raise an eyebrow. "Why would that be?"

Neptune winces. "Uh… Girls…" I shift my focus to her, frowning. Something happened between the other me and her. Something very inopportune, I'm going to bet.

"We can cover things later, Neptune," I say. "Maintain a bit of a distance from Plutia – if you don't mind. I need to have a guard escort her out; I'm going to run out of time before a meeting should we dally here any longer," I continue, making a motion of reaching for a button that isn't there.

She hums, beaming again. "I'm sorrrrryyyy~, I'll goooo.~ But first… Neppy, hug!~"

It all happens so fast. I see a deathly look in her eye as she turns away from me toward Neptune – a wicked smirk as she drops her doll, her arms spreading to grab Neptune… except her eyes aren't the eyes of a friend. They're the eyes of a killer. I shiver – time seemingly slowing down.

I can't hesitate – I can either believe that she wouldn't harm Neptune, or that she is going to try to kill her. Her eyes, her body language, her behavior – I can't help but doubt her intentions. She wants to make me 'go away' – is this her method? Kill Neptune or frame me? If she can't have her, no one can?

I was ready to release that conversation, consequences be damned. But if it's at the cost of Neptune's life…!

"Uni, stop her, now! Don't let her touch Neptune!" I shout as time seems to return to normal, watching in unnerved dismay as my sister nods, cocking her gun before firing – the bullet slamming into Plutia as she gets blown back by the impact, flying into the wall.

Instinctively, I grab my blade, pointing it at her. "Don't you _dare_ do what you were going to do!" I exclaim, eyeing her. If I look hard enough, I can see small particles floating around her – HDD was going to be engaged.

Neptune screams, suddenly diving in front of Plutia, her eyes widened in horror and anger. "Noire, what the hell are you doing?!"

 _Crack._

I knew this was her intention – she actually went the route that I prayed she wouldn't. She was willing to use Neptune's life in a stacked gamble to make me lose, one way or the other. It was the perfect scheme – one I couldn't beat no matter what method I could've employed. I can see her, behind Neptune, her lips curled far too unnaturally into the widest grin I have ever seen. Her eyes… the eyes of a madman.

She won, but I wasn't going to forsake Neptune's life for a victory.

I feel my legs buckle, tears already streaming from my eyes. I can't win this conversation, no matter how I approach it. I've lost this time, and I don't know how to approach a peaceful resolution – there _isn't_ one. Neptune wouldn't understand. Not by listening to me.

I sigh, shifting my attention to Uni. Her face falters as she watches me in concerned understanding, but I cock my head, smiling. I wouldn't choose the other option once, even if I had to do this week over a hundred times. I would never forsake Neptune's life just to prove my innocence.

Neptune's screaming about how insane I've been.

I think I'm going to go clear my head for a while. Plutia gets what she wants, again.

I'll probably always be second to whatever comes, so I might as well just… move on.

 _Crack._

Yeah. That's right. I might as well resign myself to it – I can't beat Plutia in a game like this; I don't have the stomach for it.

 _Crack._

I didn't overreact. I'm sure of it – but no matter how people can speculate, I may as well have.

I make my way for the door – I don't hear anyone, anymore. I can't even see where I'm going – I just know that I'm leaving this hellish room.

Someone grabs my arm, but I ignore them.

I just want to leave. Before the last pieces break.

I lost.

 **Uni interlude.**

I feel my legs give out as she leaves, my eyes following helplessly after her. She knows it as well as I do – we really did just end up losing this round in the worst way possible. Neptune's still screaming, spewing out crap about how, no matter how Big Sister feels, hurting Plutia wasn't going to help her in any way. I don't think she knows they were simply paralysis bullets, but every time she frantically glances back to Plutia as she trails after Big Sister, trying to get some sort of response, the little demon acts as though she's unconscious and lifeless.

Idiot. As _if_ my bullet would do something like that _without_ breaking the skin. But, it wouldn't help to explain it. Not right now – even if I retrieved the camera feed, no one can really prove that the body language and actions of Plutia were filled with murderous intent. It was a fifty-fifty call, and Big Sister chose to save Neptune no matter what.

Damn it. I didn't plan for something like this – I don't think _either_ of us did. Using the person you're in love with as bait to completely shut down your rival? That's messed up; it's so clever and intelligent, devoid of any personal emotional calculation, that I can't begin to consider it a respectable tactic. But it still beat us, so I guess that we're the fools. Neptune's over there, lifting Plutia to carry her away somewhere, and I can't even lift myself off the floor to fight with her.

I'm tired. I don't know what to do anymore. This week has been hell – I don't even know if I feel like continuing to deal with this crap. All of this because of some stupid love triangle; it's so _stupid_. How can people _enjoy_ this kind of crap? I've read about these kinds of developments in some of Nepgear's books, and I know what kind of person Plutia is – a 'yandere' or whatever, but… meeting them in person? Big Sister might be one too, where she's self-destructive and… No, she's not the same as Plutia. No way in hell.

I'm left alone in this office, my gun sitting next to me. I don't know where to begin to try and salvage this. Come on, Uni. Pull yourself together. Big Sister's gone, and I don't know when I'll see her again – this fact alone stabs me harshly in the chest, motivating me _just_ enough…! I frantically search my dress for my pocket, fishing my phone out as I open it, dialing…!

"…Vert? We're going to need some help… Can you contact Blanc, too, for me…?"

 **Blanc interlude.**

I growl, stomping through Lastation on a warpath. Where _is_ that pink-purple-haired moron?! I'll… Ughhh! Stupid dramatic bitches, I _swear_ I can't take my eyes off these idiots for a second! It's been _one_ day, and we already have more problems on our hands. What the shit?!

Vert trails after me, scanning over the heads of the crowd as she hums, and I glare at her. She chuckles, noticing me with a smug smirk. "You're so adorable when you're angry."

"Shut up!" I exclaim, rolling my eyes. I've been pissed off more than ever, lately – it _can't_ be healthy for me. "I _just_ wanted to try and spend some time with Rom and Ram, and our _stupid_ friends end up being dumbasses and get in yet _another_ fight over that airheaded skank! I _swear_ we're babysitting a bunch of overdramatic little shits!"

She chortles again, returning to her duty of trying to find some trace of _anyone_ in this Goddess-forsaken city. Why's it so damn big and crowded, anyway?! And why the _fuck_ does this all revolve around some stupid love triangle bullshit?!

Noire's sister explained most of it to us – how they believe the kidnapping to be linked to this, how Plutia's been screwing with Noire's head, and how Neptune's been a completely gullible idiot – _as usual_. It pisses me off that I got dragged into this stupid spat simply because my sisters were convenient – and I'll _kill_ the airheaded bitch when I find her, bar nothing – but it irritates me more that _once again_ , Neptune _takes the skank's side._

I'm not stupid – Vert's not, either. We both _knew_ how Noire felt. It's so painfully obvious, I could gag. But to be blatantly ignorant of it even in situations like _this_ , to keep picking the _psycho-bitch_? What, is Neptune mentally retarded, or something? She's lucky Noire's desperate and dependent, or she'd be fucked.

"Ah, I see a small girl – black hair, twin tails – we have found the younger sister," Vert remarks, leading us toward a rest area where we find Uni. She lifts her head tiredly, staring at us as she sighs. "Do you have any leads as to where either party might have gone?" Vert inquires, Uni grimacing.

"I won't know where Big Sister is, at all – I have no idea. Neptune… probably went to the nearest clinic, or something. It's over there," she says, gesturing to a location behind her. "I'm just… going to sit here for a little while and collect my thoughts."

Instinctively, I set a hand on her head, rubbing it. She tilts her head in confusion, and I sigh. Remember – this girl's been in contact and has been reasonable and helpful. Don't snap at her. "You've… done enough for now. Go relax for a little while, or do whatever you usually do like… paperwork 'n crap. We'll take it from here, alright?"

She smiles softly, and I glance away. It's embarrassing. "…Thank you, guys. I just… I'm worried about…"

"Noire is quite sturdy, even now," Vert cuts her off, smiling reassuringly. "We can fret over her after we have dealt with the issue of Neptune being manipulated. Noire is far stronger and much more likely to remain safe until we locate her than Neptune is from being played further – wouldn't you say, Blanc?"

The way she asks that twice, I notice she's trying to convince herself and Uni more than anything. If she's making mistakes like this, she's concerned. I manage a smile, nodding. "Yeah. That purple idiot is the biggest problem here. Noire's a pain in the ass when she decides to be by herself, but she's not going to be a drastic pain in the ass."

Uni nods, exhaling. "I feel a little better. Go find Neptune – hit her for me, if you wouldn't mind."

I grin. "After all this shit? With pleasure. C'mon, Vert."

As we walk away from Uni, I narrow my eyes on Vert, who currently leads us – just because she's taller doesn't mean I'm incapable of proceeding to the building first… Keh. It isn't important right now. Tapping her shoulder, I watch her head turn slightly in my direction as she sighs. "Do you really think she will be alright until we can find her?"

"I don't know, but she's a hell of a lot tougher than we give her credit for. She might just be a little… off, I'm going to bet. Still, I wouldn't worry so much; we need the idiot inside if we want to reason with her at all, anyway," I explain, somewhat surprised that _I'm_ being the levelheaded one suddenly.

She smiles softly. "I appreciate your kindness. I apologize that even I am not currently composed." She pauses, stopping before the doors to whatever clinic this is. "Are you… actually going to strike her?"

I laugh. "You bet. I even have permission."

She shakes her head. "Please do try not to worsen the situation… too much." She stops, leaning in to whisper into my ear, "But make it a good one." Straightening her posture, I nod with a smirk as we proceed inside.

Truthfully, I don't really have much to say about this place – it's got the vibe of a typical southern-styled medical office – brownish, warm colors and somewhat comfy, homey-seeming seating with various portraits everywhere. A relatively plush carpet squishes under our shoes, and I find myself somewhat off-put by this place. It's a stark contrast from the rest of Noire's city, that's for sure.

We must have some strange fortune on our side, as I immediately notice Neptune sitting in one of the chairs, alone. Her eyes are downcast, so she hasn't realized we're here yet – a detail that I fully intend to take advantage of. I've wanted to do this for a while, so I'll just… _Sneak, sneak, sneak…_

 _Wham._

She tumbles out of her chair, colliding with several others before skidding across the floor. I exhale, feeling _far_ better than half an hour ago. She lifts her head, holding her cheek, bewildered as Vert and I approach her simultaneously. I crack my knuckles while Vert beams her usual plastic smile, Neptune's eyes widening in horror. She flips over, hurriedly trying to flee, but I nab her collar, dragging her from the center of the room as Vert apologizes to the many stunned people here.

We work well together – I'll give her some credit today.

Thrusting our captive into one of the chairs in an isolated part of the lobby, I cross my arms and sit opposite her, Vert opting to do the same. I tap my foot, cocking my head, waiting for a statement that doesn't seem to be coming in the slightest. My eye twitches in aggravation, and I sigh. I hate trying to be diplomatic.

"Talk," I state flatly.

"About what?" Neptune answers callously, and I feel tempted to hit her again. "You didn't have to hit me, by the way."

"It was a request and a gift for being one of the biggest morons I have ever known," I answer, shrugging. "Felt great, too. I'd do it again if I didn't still consider you one of my closest friends."

"And few friends," Vert adds as I shoot her a glare. She chortles, setting one hand atop the other in her lap. "Neptune, I would like to hear your opinion on the current state of affairs."

She sighs, keeping her eyes from meeting ours. "I don't know. I don't know anything. I just need to make sure Plutie…"

 _Twitch._ "If Plutia's in that bad of shape, she'd be bleeding and dead, for fuck's sake," I state coldly, spitting on the floor. "Uni's too good of a marksman to miss a shot, and the bullet wasn't even a live round. It's… what's it called, Vert?"

"A newly-implemented paralysis round, capable of incapacitating a target without leaving lasting signs of bodily harm – maximum effects are up to twenty minutes at most. A conjoined creation between Leanbox and Lastation; casings done by ourselves with the contents formed by Lastation technology. Think of it as just a giant pellet fired from a pellet gun," she explains, smiling with smug pride. I purse my lips – they managed to make _another_ thing without Lowee's help? Clever bastards. Unfortunately for Vert, _we_ also had a conjoined project that might get realized soon. I wonder if Noire had it approved for implementation here, yet?

Neptune pauses, lifting her head. "That still doesn't answer why she felt the need to shoot her."

I frown. "Because she had a bad omen, and knows that your precious little airheaded skank is a psychotic freak of nature?" I suggest, earning unpleasant expressions from both other parties. I shrug. "I'm not going to pretend I like her."

"But there wasn't any evidence. Plutie wouldn't hurt me," Neptune counters, and I roll my eyes. "What's that about? You don't even know her."

I narrow my focus on this helplessly trusting idiot, sighing. "I don't know her, but I know Noire. She's not going to jump the gun unless it's something _really_ alarming. And you know it too, don't you? She wouldn't get hell-bent and hurt someone for no damn reason. It's why she's so damn annoying since she's high and mighty; she has a couple reasons to be. Sure, I want to knock that smug look off her face, but I'm not going to deny she earned it."

Neptune clenches her hands into fists, shaking. "I… I know that, but…!"

Vert extends her hands, gently petting Neptune's head. Looks comfortable… ah, wait, screw that noise. I don't need to be treated like a kid. "Getting upset is perfectly fine, Neptune – but you are allowing yourself to be manipulated by a very dangerous girl. She may seem nice, but she is viciously tearing everyone apart in an attempt to claim you for herself. Surely, you must see that?"

She exhales, averting her eyes to the floor beside her. "I… I'm not blind, but… Plutie's a close friend, too. I knew her for years while I was in the Ultradimension. She never did this while I was there."

I shrug. "Probably because she didn't have anything to worry about. You have us again, so she's being a jealous little bitch. Look, I'm not gonna' be as nice as Vert's trying to be – you're fucking everything up by trying to be a neutral party that isn't taking sides. You're destroying _our_ group to defend _their_ group constantly, and we're about to lose _our_ dishonest, high-horse workaholic perfectionist. You can make a call, right here and now, since I'm making my stance clear – are you going to take our side, or the other dimension's side? You have five minutes to figure it out – we need to find Noire before anything else happens." I pause, stretching as I jerk my neck around, somewhat annoyed. "You two are keeping shit from us, and I'm not happy about it – but it's not my business to be involved in it. However, you're impacting _me_ now, and managed to get my sisters involved, and that pisses me off. Make a call and stick with it."

Vert eyes me with sad eyes, but doesn't argue as she continues to console Neptune like a little sister. Creepy.

Neptune stares at me, stunned. I don't like being the villain, but I _need_ these idiots to get their shit together before they tear our dimension apart with their stupid lovers' spat. Ideally, I'll take Noire any day over dealing with that cloud – she's more useful and more loyal. I don't know when the tyke would turn on us. If Neptune and Noire get together – great, and if Neptune picks Plutia; whatever. My decision's been made, and _I'm_ not going to change it last minute.

I'm _pretty_ sure Vert feels the same way, but I won't speak for her. Either way, Lowee will prosper by sticking with Lastation more than a renegade group of bitches who will kidnap little girls to frame other nations. The other dimension's Leanbox and Lowee have tried contacting me numerous times, so maybe they're not as bad, but I'm done trying to see anything good out of their world's Lastation and Planeptune. They piss me off, plain and simple.

I tap my foot, pulling my phone out of my coat, checking the screen. It's nearly noon. Five or six at the most to look for Noire before I'm heading home to check on Rom and Ram. They're starting to cool down, especially since Uni's been calling them when she has time now. She's a good kid; hopefully she's doing alright, right now. She inherited that annoying mask from Noire, so it's kind of hard to tell.

"…Blanc, you'd… you'd…?" Neptune finally manages out, and I glance over at her. She's trembling like a leaf.

"It probably wouldn't be the entire end of our friendship, but yeah – I'm sticking with Noire to the very end, even if that means we're going to war with the other dimension. I'll kick _anyone's_ ass if they try to get in our way. Vert, you with us?"

She smiles, standing up. "Of course – _Four Goddesses Online_ only works if we have the original four – ah," she pauses, frowning. "That would mean that Neptune _must_ remain with us – otherwise, I would have to have a lengthy and unpleasant talk with the creators about changing it, which would break countless quests, dungeons, and lore. It would be insufferable."

I shake my head, utterly unimpressed. "You are the dumbest person I have ever met, I swear."

"Ah, but you're quite fond of me, are you not?~" Vert replies, and I cough.

"I don't believe I've ever said that, but it's true that I _don't_ hate you. You're tolerable," I remark, rolling my shoulders. "Alright, time's up, Neptune – give me your answer so I can get searching. We're burning daylight, here."

Neptune remains silent for a few moments, allowing a tired breath to escape her as she hops to her feet. "I'm kinda' being strong-armed into it, but… life wouldn't be the same without you guys, so I guess I'll spare Vert the hassle. Plus… yeah, I'm worried about Noire."

"Doesn't really seem like it, but I won't give two shits, I guess. You can figure out your weird relationship crap after we've found her," I state, motioning to them. "C'mon, let's spread out and look around. The sooner we find her, the better, so think – where would a Neptune-obsessed, depressed loner perfectionist hide?"

Vert hums, and Neptune pauses, frowning. "Is she…?"

"No shit." "It's rather obvious." Vert and I chime in simultaneously, exchanging dumbfounded looks.

"Perhaps she might have returned to the Basilicom?" Vert suggests, and I flip open my phone, shooting a text to Uni about it. "Are you having her sister explore there?"

"She knows the layout better than we do, so, yeah. Think she might still be in Lastation?" I ask, the other two grimacing.

"That's… hard to say. Noire would go where people probably wouldn't expect to find her," Neptune remarks, fishing her phone out of her pocket. "I'll ask Nep Jr. to be on the lookout in Planeptune, too."

"What a pain in the ass," I grumble. Better ask Rom and Ram to be aware of things, too… Even if it's a cold day in hell that she'd ever go to Lowee. "I can go check out the outskirts of the town; hit up some abandoned factories, maybe scarf some tech," I joke, Vert raising an eyebrow.

"That's not a bad idea – she wouldn't even know."

"Guys…"

"We know," we answer at once, chuckling. "Don't be so dumb; she'd give most of it to us with improved results if we asked instead," I state, eyeing Vert. "I'll take the scrapyards – you comb the outermost areas?"

"What a novel way to spend my day. Neptune, please explore the city and find her quickly – I would presume that _your_ presence will do far more than ours, in any case," Vert requests, Neptune nodding reluctantly. "And worry not – even if she has deep feelings for you, Noire would never force them upon you. She isn't that kind of girl, fortunately."

"…Yeah, I know. I just need some time to think about that, I guess."

"Alright, chop chop, you soft-hearted idiots. Let's get this done and _then_ worry about everything else," I suddenly cut in, ushering them toward the door.

What I won't say, but I'm already worried about isn't the matter of finding her – it's finding her _before_ that skank that Neptune brought here catches wind of things, and goes hunting for her. We're racing against a nutcase; we're going to need to be productive and efficient.

Make shit easy for us, Noire.

 **Neptune.**

Jogging throughout Lastation, I realize very quickly just how burned out I actually am.

My thoughts are extremely hazy – a giant mishmash of everything going on through the last week is just endlessly whirling in my head, and I can't even begin to describe or sort through it. It's just a huge stew pot with the lid closed, the stove set to maximum, and no one's been keeping tabs on it for over an hour – it's bubbling, boiling, and starting to spill out. Wow, heck of an analogy! I should become a writer after all this stuff finally settles down.

I'm still reluctant to have left Plutie in that medical office, but if Vert and Blanc aren't lying – and they wouldn't, since they wouldn't gain from it – she should be okay. Blanc says that informing her of what I'm doing would make things far worse, so I opted to take her advice and just head out. Though, no matter where I look, I'm _pretty_ sure I won't find Noire here. At all. Why would she still be around in Lastation? She knows Uni would locate her pretty quickly if that were the case.

She's hiding somewhere else, I'm sure of it. I just don't know where.

I don't even know what I'd say or do if I discovered her. I can't focus – I'm still upset that she thought Plutie was _that_ dangerous, but I'm more upset that she's gone. Blanc's right; I can't keep doing this. But… it's so stupid. Why can't everyone just be friends and get along? Why does love have to make it all messy and jumbled and annoying? It's irritating, even for me.

I'm also annoyed at Noire, though, for another reason – she keeps taking things a lot more seriously than she should. She wouldn't even listen to me when I was trying to demand a response out of her. Does she _really_ have to disappear all of the time? I think I'm pretty agreeable.

…Haah. I'm just ranting when I know that it isn't really her fault; she didn't _ask_ to be put in this situation, just like I didn't. We both had no intentions of getting constantly forced into horrible positions, so I shouldn't rag on her like this. I wonder if she blames me for any of it? If she hits me like Blanc did, I might actually lose some teeth – my cheek is swollen _really_ uncomfortably.

We're all extremely stressed out and overworked – things keep piling on, so everyone's getting a little loopy. If I can at _least_ get everyone to relax for a few days, maybe we can finally work at resolving things. I need to have a conversation with Plutie after I find Noire – finally talk things out, or something. I don't know what I'll say, yet, but there has to be a way.

In the crowd, I notice Uni surveying the streets, too, a sense of nervousness settling into me. What would I even say to her? Ah, crap, she's noticed me – her eyes narrow and her expression sets in a displeased manner, but she approaches me all the same. Standing before me after making purposeful strides, she crosses her arms while scrutinizing me.

"She hit you pretty good," she remarks, smirking. "I'll have to thank her for a job well done."

 _Blink._ " _You_ were the one who asked her to do that?!" I shout, people's eyes shifting to us.

She brushes away some of her hair. "Of course, I did. You've been an idiot far too often recently. But, I'll berate you later – have you found my sister yet?"

Muttering about life's unfair cruelties, I shake my head. "Have you had any luck?"

She shrugs, her lips curled downward. "If I had any leads, I'd be pursuing them. So far, I've turned up completely emptyhanded. Though, I think we _both_ can agree – she isn't going to be anywhere in Lastation, right?"

I nod, scratching the back of my head. "You'd immediately know where to find her if she _was_ here."

She grins. "I'm glad _someone_ realizes how well I know my sister. I went ahead and checked all of the plausible places anyway, but there weren't any signs of her, nor in her room, either. Duh, but whatever. Chances are, she's probably…"

"…In Planeptune, right?" I finish, and she nods. "Any idea…?"

"Not a one. I don't visit your city often enough to really get around… especially recently. Have you told Nepgear anything?" I shake my head. "Any reason?"

I shrug. "Would it really help if I told her and Histy the whole story?" I ask, feeling the question to be somewhat redundant.

"Probably not, but it might bite us later. I'll have a conversation with Nepgear now, if you want – you know my sister as well as I do, or maybe a little less, but whatever. Where would she go that no one would think to check, in your city? Cafes? Shops? Hideouts? Old out-of-the-way places?"

"…My bedroom?" I suggest, watching Uni blink.

"…Well, that might just be dumb enough to work. Go get her. Don't screw up."

I nod, sighing. Now to plan what I want to say. "Keep Nep Jr. checking the other places, though, too!" I wave to her, watching her do the same as she raises the phone to her ear before I race off, hurrying for Planeptune.

I hope I'm right.

 **Blanc interlude.**

Having made my full trip around each of the junkyards and surrounding nearby regions, I have discovered two things; one, that Noire is a crafty, clever pain in the ass and is nowhere to be found, and two – that Lastation has a lot of useless shit that they need to get rid of. Some of it's even hostile.

Having already gotten my warm-up for ass-kicking done for the day, I've decided to return to the medical office where Neptune dropped off the cloud, figuring it'd be good to keep tabs. Weaving in between the many faces in the crowds, I yawn. I'm hoping the others are having better luck than I am. Truthfully, it's painfully obvious that it ought to be dumbass Neptune that finds her, and even _more_ obvious that Neptune or Noire's own sister would have the best ideas to finding her. Since they didn't suggest we check out here, it was apparent that we're wasting our time and are just serving as the slim-chance crew.

I hate being an extra.

This office is still plain and completely contrasting everything Noire has overseen in this stupidly industrial city. In fact, it's so out of place that it makes me dislike it simply for being _that_ different. Where's the damn futuristic vibe everything else has? Why's it look so old and comfortable? This shit doesn't make sense.

Proceeding to the counter, I gaze up at this girl – she's pretty bland-looking, but seems pleasant, judging by her posture and behavior as she greets me. Bowing politely, it seems they don't recognize me from before… or they swapped staff shortly after Vert and I's arrival. One or the other. Hope they didn't get _too_ scared.

"Pardon me; where would… Plutia, be?" I inquire, doing my best to come off genuinely interested in the airhead's existence. I _want_ to forget her name.

She pauses, frowning. "That little girl…? She left a little while ago, miss. She said she was heading for Planeptune, when we asked. Her eyes looked really scary, though."

…Shit. Without waiting, I pivot on my heel as I race out of the building, hurriedly dialing Vert. C'mon…!

The stupid cloud's gonna' screw shit up even more!

 **Noire.**

 _Haah. Haah. Haah._

I sniff the pillows sharply, sighing as my mind slowly begins to calm down. Her scent's all over these, which makes this place rather comfortable to spend my time in, for the time being. I'm sure I'll be able to figure some way to fix the situation, or maybe it'll even… resolve itself, if I wait long enough. I'm terrified to do _anything_ , anymore.

The way she looked at me was genuine anger. Maybe I was wrong – maybe I've just been jealous and scared of Plutia. I've had multiple hours to sit and consider this, so maybe I've been mistaken and it _has_ been me that's been the problem. I'm able to justify each of my actions and decisions, but that doesn't always make it right.

I just hope she forgives me. I don't care about the rest. I'll even give up on trying to become more to her. I just don't want her to leave. She's my best friend… she's my everything. I can't lose her – if I have to become a minor role in her life, I'll accept it if it means I can still see her. I don't care.

 _I need her._

 _Sniiiff._ Haah. Wonderful.

I'm glad that Histoire allowed me to remain here without informing anyone – it seems that our disagreements from days prior are no longer relevant… or she has some idea of what's going on. I don't know if it even matters. It doesn't to me. All that matters is Neptune, now.

I could get used to this. I roll around on her bed, yawning softly. Maybe I should call Uni and tell her where I am – reassure her that I'll be back sometime later tonight. She must be worried. Smells so good. I hug one of the pillows, squishing it against me as I sigh again, smiling. This is the first time in quite a while that I'm so comfortably at peace. I should try to take some of these before I leave, maybe. She can buy new ones… or something. I wonder if she's going to pick Plutia?

The door opens, leading into Neptune's personal quarters, and I stiffen. There's footsteps, so it can't be Histoire – maybe it's Nepgear? No. It's directly approaching the bedroom. The way they hit the ground… it's neither Neptune nor Nepgear. They're precise steps that click with each footfall. I don't recognize them.

As I force myself up, a hand wraps around my throat, clenching hard. I gasp, my hands rising to grip the wrist as a pale face surrounded by iris hair and red eyes stares at me, crazed and murderous. No!

"I knew I would find you here, you horrible little girl,~" she says with not even the slightest hint of kindness or warmth in her tone. I immediately realize it – Plutia, HDD form. She means to kill me. "How _dare_ you constantly get in my way of a pleasant life with cute little Neptune.~"

"Grrk!" I can't speak – her grip's too tight. I can't even breathe. Come on… I feel adrenaline surge within me as I desperately pull at her wrist, watching her. Why does she always find me?! What the hell is her problem?!

"Don't speak – just die, okay?~ I'll live quite a happy life after you're dead, and Neptune will be mine.~"

This woman is… infuriating! I just want to be left alone – how dare she constantly make my life hell. Just because she's insecure, or because Neptune doesn't pay her as much attention, she'll do _this…_?!

"Stop resisting. Your pained face and struggled breathing is oh-so-beautiful, but I would rather not find any beauty in one as disgusting as you.~"

I'm so _sick_ of it! I'm _sick_ of trying to show this woman any courtesy or kindness! She spits it back in my face and makes my relationship with Neptune crappier and crappier every time! And now, after she's made things as horrible as possible… she's going to try to kill me?!

No.

Instinctively, I push my right hand off of her arm, shoving my fingers into her eyes as she howls. Her grip loosens just enough…! I jerk my body against her, knocking her off balance as I kick her stomach, sending her tumbling off the bed. I hack and wheeze, my entire body hurting from trying to breathe. But, no – instead of leaving it there, I see her struggling to get up to continue her attempted murder.

"I'm… tired… of you!" I growl out, engaging my own HDD – my entire body surging with energy at once. "You've… harassed me… for long enough!" I manage out, wincing. How badly did she constrict my throat…? My vision's so blurry already, and every breath… Rrgh. It hurts.

"You've been long overdue for a lesson, you little whore," she responds, rising to her feet. I hiss, spinning on the bed before kicking off of the mattress, tackling her… though she quickly hurls her body to the side as I slam into a wall, wincing. There's ringing in my ears and my mind is a little dazed. Damn it, stay focused.

Digging my nails into the floor, I tug myself back toward the center of the room as she tries to drive her boot into my stomach, narrowly avoiding it as it scrapes my thigh. It's so hard to breathe… damn it. I won't lose like this!

Staggering to my feet, I throw my head to the side as she tries to grab my throat again, hurling a fist into her cheek. She turns her head to the side, lessening the impact, but it doesn't matter – it connects, and since it's amplified by my Share energy, it knocks her off balance as she skids backward, letting out a howl of pain.

"Annoying… white-haired… bitch!" she shouts, sweeping her leg out. I can't move in time as it connects with my feet, the ground being thrown out from underneath me. I crash onto the carpet, my instincts telling me to roll… to the right! _Slam._ Her heel punctures a hole in the floor, and I feel a surge of panic swell inside me. She really _does_ mean to kill me!

"What the hell… is your problem?!" I scream, rolling toward her as I throw my shoulder into her legs, causing her to tumble down against me. Grabbing for her, I manage to get some hair. Yanking her forward, she slides over me while clawing at me, her nails digging into my arm before she slides off me. I dive away, but she grabs my heel as I stop short, my face colliding with the floor. "Rrgh!"

" _You_ are my problem," she says, spitting on me. She tugs harshly on the hair around my scalp, pulling me back as she grabs my head, slamming my face into the ground, various things cracking in my senses. "If you didn't exist, I wouldn't have to be like this, you pesky woman."

I feel large amounts of blood dripping from my nose and mouth as I cough, my lungs still hurting. Frantically looking around, I notice…! I reach for the wall, punching a hole in it as I grab something – a pipe, probably – pulling myself away from her while flailing my legs. I manage to connect with her again, her grip on my head loosening as I hoist myself to my feet, pivoting haphazardly on my heels as I tackle her, shoving her down onto the floor.

This woman is insane – _beyond_ insane. I need to incapacitate her. Raising my fists, I strike at her face while grabbing her wrists when she tries to block me. Got… both! She's struggling underneath me, but I can't get a hit like this. If only I… ah. Bringing my head down, I slam my forehead into her nose, the sensation utterly miserable. A dull headache swells up, adding to an already unpleasant, painfully broken nose. But, it's all I have, so…! Again, and again, I beat her face with my skull, hearing her snarl at me in response each time. Ah, crap… my balance! Rolling off of her, she gropes for my legs, her eyes blinded by the blood streaming from her nose.

Left! I narrowly dodge her hand, pushing off of the ground and onto my feet once more as I bring my foot to her hip, kicking her with all of the force I can muster. I hear something crack as she yelps, getting sent rolling into the wall. I can't stop here. Staggering after her, I lift my other leg, bringing my heel down into her stomach. She gasps, her arms wrapping around my leg as I try to move away, and I tumble onto my back again. Landing on my shoulder, I try to jerk free as she rolls onto her knees, clinging to my leg.

"Stop… making this difficult!" she shouts, twisting my leg… Aagh! Fuck! No!

 _Snap._

Pain surges through me as my leg breaks, and I helplessly bring my other leg around, striking her face with it. The hit connects as she flies off toward the door, my legs collapsing onto the floor. I reel, tears streaming from my eyes – my fucking leg!

Looking around, I know she'll be up soon. I need a weapon…! Fuck, why is my vision so damn blurry _now_ of all times?! Ah…! It's… my sword! I drag myself toward it as I hear her rising to her feet, coughing up blood.

"You… stupid… bitch. I'm going to break every fucking bone in your body before I kill you," she growls, a shiver jolting through me. I don't want to die. I don't…!

Come on…!

I desperately wave my hand around, unable to see the exact definition of the sword due to all of the blood and tears in my eyes. I feel something sharp against my hand, wincing as I realize I slammed my hand against the blade, but… that's not important right now! Lurching forward, I wrap my other hand around the handle as I roll onto my back, using my bad hand to push against the carpet. Don't fall backward. Stay steady!

She's approaching now, but I can only barely make out her basic shape. The pain is too fucking excruciating to focus like this. If I just… If I just kill her…!

Neptune's face flashes before me. _Fuck!_ I can't just kill her.

"Put down that sword so I can tear you apart with it. Or better yet, flay you. You broke my nose, you irritating little roach. Why won't you just lay down and die? Neptune's better off without you."

I growl, blinking away as many tears and as much fatigue as possible as I snarl. "Don't… assume… a _Goddess-damned thing, you deranged bitch!_ " I shout, pushing off of the ground with my free hand, stumbling onto my knees. I yelp as my broken leg gives out, but quickly stabilize myself with my hand. If I can just… just into her stomach… She wouldn't die, right?

" _You're the bitch here, you little tramp. Just lay down with your broken leg and let me crush your head!"_ she shouts, lunging for me. I force my feet off the ground as I desperately thrust the sword toward her, hoping…

I hear the sound of metal slicing harshly through skin, only now remembering that my sword becomes much larger when I transform. Blood paints me as it cuts through her like butter, a massive wound… looking like it carves through her… stomach toward her legs, I think…

She coughs, falling against me as blood pours from her mouth, her nails clawing at my shoulders and arms as she tries to stabilize herself, thrown off by the force of the sword rammed through her. We collide, our bodies slamming together, her collapsing on top of me.

My face meets the floor again, my consciousness fading for a second on impact as blood begins to flow even more freely from my face. Focus! Focus! I pant, wheezing painfully now, my arms being uncooperative as I try to pull myself out from underneath her. Crap, I'm starting to _really_ black out from the pain, and it's getting so hard to breathe. Come on… I can't… lose consciousness with her here.

I hear the door open as someone gasps in horror. I struggle to lift my head, noticing… the outline of purple shoes and blue stockings, even with how red and blotchy my vision is. I cough, my fingers digging into the carpet in an attempt to get up, though the procedure is difficult now. I hit the ground again, coughing up blood. No…! My arms tremble as I try again, horrible taste of iron in my mouth as the irritating sensation of blood dribbles from my nose. I manage to lock eyes with her, I think, smiling weakly as she rushes toward us.

"I… I didn't… kill her…," I say. Her eyes widen as she grabs my shoulders, and I wince as _she_ lands on my leg. "Grrk! Aagh…," I blink away more of the tears, gasping for breath. Fuck it, I'll just use my mouth. "I didn't… so…!"

Everything fades, my consciousness collapsing out from underneath me.

 **Neptune.**

To say that the scene before me is nightmarish and something I never could have imagined… is an understatement. My room is trashed – a hole in the wall, a bookcase crushed from impact, my bed torn and strewn, the carpet punctured repeatedly, and there's… blood everywhere. Noire collapses onto me, her breath weak and irregular. Her face is a mess, but that's probably not the only thing.

Plutie was supposed to be in the medical office, yet she's here, with Noire's sword wedged in her stomach. Even I can tell that Noire optionally chose to not go for her heart, so…

Plutie really attacked Noire, and this happened?

I shiver, letting out a shaky sigh as I wiggle Noire out from underneath Plutie. Noire's HDD should disengage soon since she just passed out, but I don't know about Plutie's. Is she conscious? Or is she also knocked out?

This… happened because of me. Noire's bleeding everywhere, and Plutie's also bleeding badly. Managing to fully extract Noire out from under her, I notice how twisted and mangled her leg looks – it has to be broken. My skin pales as I fumble my phone out of my pocket, subconsciously dialing someone. Anyone.

 _Riiiing… Riiiing… Riiiing… Click._

"Neptune?" Uni answers, my mouth moving before I can even think.

"Noire's here. She's here. I need your best doctors. Please."

She stops, presumably blinking. "Nep… What do you…?"

"Noire's bleeding. Her leg's broken. Her face is messed up. She...," I trail off, noticing Plutie… no, in this case, Sadie, stirring as she coughs, tumbling onto her side. She starts pulling herself to her feet, spitting out a lot of blood while tugging Noire's sword from her stomach as she turns around.

I drop the phone, instinctively activating my HDD.

…

Eyeing Sadie, she pauses, noticing me. Her face has also been badly damaged, though she does not have marks around her neck. "Ah… Neptune…," she says, smiling. Her eyes are as chilling as Noire's were from before – more-so, even. They mask nothing; they are filled with hatred, murderous intent, and yet… extreme affection. A mixture for the two people before her, I would tend to assume. "Move aside, alright? I'll be done soon…"

My eyes twitch. "You will _not._ "

She raises an eyebrow while also raising Noire's sword. I set her down, standing up while moving to stand over her body, eyeing Sadie with disdain. "You will not touch Noire any more than you already have. Leave, before I take her sword and further hurt you. I would rather not, but I am not capable of believing she was the aggressor."

My emotions are far more sorted in this form – a helpful sensation as I stare harshly at Sadie. She would kill Noire now that she is blacked out, simply over my affection? Noire made a point of sparing her for my sake, and this is how she would be repaid? I refuse.

She laughs. "Neptune, you might be in better condition than me currently, but would you actually oppose me? This girl has attacked me and stood before us for…"

"She has remained considerate of my feelings, no matter how selfish I may have been in my confusion. You are going to take my closest friend from me simply out of jealousy of her – I will stop you by any means necessary if you do not leave immediately. Seek medical attention before you return to your dimension, but I refuse—!" I stop short, batting away the blade as it comes down, instinctively lifting my leg while pivoting on my heel, placing my calf into her side. She coughs weakly, the air being forced from her as I follow through, sending her into the adjacent wall. The blade clatters to the floor, anger surging through me. "You would see…!"

" _It's all her fault!_ " she shouts, coughing up more blood. " _How did she take you from me so easily?! You're mine!"_

I narrow my eyes, staring at her in horror. She… truly is far gone. Farther gone than Noire. She is… _"a psychotic freak of nature."_ Blanc's words ring in my mind as I sigh. She is beyond redemption, and I can do nothing to try and approach such a concept without forfeiting Noire's life, it seems. So this is what they all meant – what Blanc meant – about picking a side and making a decision.

Shifting my attention downward, I stare at the helpless and beaten Noire, exhaling. I will make my choice as clear as day. Leaning down, I scoop her into my arms, her blood coating me while her body sags lifelessly. I need to get her medical attention soon – otherwise, I don't know what may happen.

"N… Neptune…?" Sadie's voice comes weakly, and I glance over to find her staring at me with hurt, desperate eyes. She's about to break. "Are… are you choosing her…?" Her voice is so fragile, it's heart wrenching.

But I am numb to it, for once. Making my way to the door, I hear her begin pleading with me, but I don't truly register her words – I find myself wholly focused on the bloodied Noire nestled into my arms. I stop in the doorway, taking a breath. These words… will burn this bridge – but I refuse to sacrifice this girl for the sake of another.

"I don't want you to ever come to this dimension again – should I see you in Planeptune or Lastation, I will consider you an enemy to be defeated. Leave, and never speak to me again, Plutia."

Proceeding from my room before I hear a response, I discover Nep Jr. and Histy had been waiting for me, their expressions horrified upon seeing Noire. Pausing for a moment, I address Nep Jr.

"Plutia is in the other room, badly injured in her HDD form as well. She is mentally unstable but requires medical attention – see to it that she receives it and then departs from our dimension. She is not permitted here any further," I say coldly.

"Neptune… I understand your concerns, but…"

"She attempted to murder Noire in cold blood, Histy. This is the final strike against Noire – against this dimension. If you wish to know more about the current state of interdimensional relations, please see Uni or one of the other two Goddesses. Where is the nearest hospital, or a place with a reliable doctor?" I continue, watching as the Basilicom staff hectically work to find me an answer.

Nep Jr. frowns, "I don't know about a hospital, Sister, but… Compa might be able to help, yes?" I raise an eyebrow. This is true – Compa has ample medical experience. "She's, um… to the left of the Basilicom; she runs a small private medical clinic some days like today, so…"

I bow my head. "Thank you, Nep Jr. I will be there if anyone requires me."

On my way out of the Basilicom, I see Blanc and Vert in the crowd – followed by a frantic Uni. All three immediately notice me, and then Noire, as their eyes widen in horror while they rush toward me.

If I am able to spare Plutia's life before my HDD disengages; this would be optimal.

 **Uni interlude.**

Watching Compa rush from various parts of her little operating room here, her arms filling and emptying various containers and mixtures, grabbing needles and bandages and whatever else, I feel very pale. Neptune explained most of what she saw upon arriving in her room, giving us her feedback and personal opinions – which seem pretty reliable when she's transformed, at least – before carrying Big Sister here to drop off. They're outside, discussing things now, and I hear Blanc's angry voice shouting. I sigh, rising from my seat as I excuse myself reluctantly from my sister's side, stepping out into the main room.

They sit on various sofas arranged in a square shape, with another set behind them, divided by small medical curtains. It's a quaint little area – definitely not the image of a trained medical professional, but it feels very… I scan my eyes over the various cute things set everywhere… very Compa.

Settling down in the sofa between the two that Neptune and then Vert and Blanc sit on, I fold my hands in my lap as I sigh, looking between the three of them. They each eye me expectantly, but I shake my head. "Compa agreed that it isn't the _worst_ she has seen someone – especially a CPU, with our advanced regenerative abilities – but also agreed that things could have been much worse should anything further have happened. We think Big Sister will be just fine once Compa finishes handling the precautionary measures."

Neptune smiles weakly as Blanc nods, folding her hands in front of her. "Good. We're not down one CPU, then, and we've got explicit evidence of that _bitch_ attacking Noire. This'll be good – I can scare them shitless when they get here and tell them to get the fuck out of our dimension for good," Blanc states flatly, her eyes mirroring her very apparent rage. She shifts her attention to Neptune, her brow furrowing. "Neptune – are you going to get in the way?"

"…No," she says meekly. She transformed back into herself, so now she's just hunched over, her hands clasped together, her eyes downcast. "I've… made my choice."

"Which is?" Blanc inquires rhetorically.

"…I'm not letting them ever go near Noire again," she decrees bitterly, her tone somewhat intimidating for once. "Plutie… is too unstable to let be. She's…"

Vert sighs. "I'm not comfortable with how things have gone, but perhaps we are being somewhat harsh about severing _all_ ties with the Ultradimension?"

Blanc narrows her eyes. "And what? Let them find some loophole to fuck with us some more? No. Cut those bitches off so we can focus on our own crap from now on. Let's stop trying to be nice to girls that have now ignored or assisted in kidnapping, framing _and_ attempted murder of one of us."

Neptune nods slowly, Vert and I exchanging concerned expressions. I might want to _kill_ Plutia, and I still believe that the other dimension's Big Sister was involved, but I don't know about cutting all ties with them. Not _everyone_ from the Ultradimension is bad. Just most of them.

"How about… we try talking to the other Vert and Blanc?" I suggest, all eyes shifting to me. I wince, smiling awkwardly. "I mean… did they ever say whether or not they knew about all of this?"

"No – no, they have not. This is an excellent point, Uni. I personally agree – they may be worth speaking to," Vert chimes in, Blanc's eyes twitching in irritation while Neptune sighs.

"…I just, don't want to deal with them anymore. I want to be here when Noire's waking up. You guys handle it," she remarks quietly. "It's been a crappy week and I've nearly lost her… twice, now? Maybe more? I don't remember anymore. I just… want to stay here."

Blanc's conviction falters for a moment as she sighs, scratching the back of her head in frustration. "…Ugh, fine. Vert, you and I will talk to them. We'll do this with an old-fashioned two-on-two talk to keep things fair. Got any contact with them?" she asks Vert, who smiles, nodding.

"Of course, I maintain contact with all parties worth acknowledging. Hmhmhm," she explains, and I immediately begin to regret my suggestion that the two pairs meet. Goddess help them.

"I… probably ought to go back to Lastation to handle the affairs of things. We've kept on top of most of it, but I don't want us to fall behind for Big Sister to handle when she wakes up. Neptune… can I _actually_ …"

She nods. "You can."

I nod back, averting my eyes to the door. Big Sister should be in safe hands here.

Finally.

 **Blanc interlude, minutes later.**

After exiting Compa's place, Vert follows me down through Planeptune toward some stupid café or some shit. She hums merrily, and I find myself somewhat intimidated – I don't usually see her so readily interested in things unless she's prepared to mess shit up, and her posture _radiates_ serious interest. I shiver, grinning. Might as well see if I'm right.

"Did you agree with Uni just to stick it to these bitches?" I ask, her humming stopping as she chortles.

"I have no intentions of ending things in a way that presents us in an unfavorable or weak light, if that is what you mean,~" she replies, giggling. "I believe that we have long extended our courtesy of remaining as impartial as possible, and feel that it should now come to a close. Should we include an extra lesson in how greatly our dimensions differ?"

I smirk. "I wouldn't mind the opportunity. They've had it comin' since Rom and Ram were first recovered and they couldn't say crap about why the cowardly bastards were in their dimension."

She chuckles, nodding. "Our wishes are coaligned, then. We are quite an interesting duo, you know.~"

I shake my head. "Save it for after we square shit away with the other dimension, and after Neptune and Noire sort their crap out. This love crap's too complicated to deal with at the moment."

She hums. "I suppose you may have a point.~"

Yeah. I'm not ready to sit and contemplate shit like love – I've got some faces to pound and some political ties to sever. That annoying stuff can wait for a _damn_ good while.

 **Neptune.**

Sitting in the back room where Compa brings each of her patients after ensuring they are in no further need of medical operation, I've got a kinda' cushy seat beside Noire, who currently is sorta' bandaged up, but apparently will be fine in a few days. Honestly, thank Goddess for… Goddess powers and stuff. I wonder who we actually thank when we say stuff like that? It's always been a mystery.

I'm content with having made this decision – the decision to stay by Noire's side, to no longer overlook Plutie's actions, but… I'm also uneasy. Abandoning her like that wasn't fair to her – but it would have been worse had I let her 'handle' things. I'd have lost Noire to allow Plutie's insanity to propagate further, but… is this the right way? Completely cutting ties? Goddess-form me seemed to think so, but… I can't help but worry. She's unstable.

And she was a close friend up until now. Severing ties like this is… necessary, but it's… it's difficult. I don't know. I'm at a huge loss, and I regret ever thinking change was nice. Sitting in this room, listening to Noire's quiet breathing – I wish we had do-overs, or second chances, or something… or so a part of me says.

I glance over at her, her chest gently rising and falling under the covers, and I smile sadly. I've learned a lot of things this week, and maybe grown up a little, realizing how important some things were to me, and in turn, how little others were. I've realized that I can't always find a middle ground, and that being indecisive or being naïve and blindly trusting can get more than just myself hurt – stuff that I thought I knew, but maybe didn't really think would happen in the way that it did.

No. I didn't ever really consider what love was – nor what love is. I still don't know, aside from it being destructive. It's very, very destructive – and I'm not sure how else I can see it. Maybe that's what this is, though – picturing a world without Noire is so painful and depressing; maybe I love her.

I don't really know. Things have happened so fast, I just can't figure them out this quickly. I was supposed to just be being more responsible as a Goddess – not getting into this heavy life-lesson stuff. It's sick and twisted, and anyone that tells me it was a fair deal is a liar… but, I smirk darkly. I suppose life isn't really meant to be fair.

My thoughts are all over the place. I don't even know what to think anymore.

I guess I should focus on what I do know – that Noire needs me now, and I can't waver in my job. This, is the first thing. Second; a world without Noire wouldn't really be worth living in. She's too… permanent. The idea of her not being there is foreign; impossible, even. Third, I will… no longer be going to the Ultradimension, and when Blanc and Vert finish their meeting, I probably will never see the girls from the Ultradimension again. It's rough, but I'll roll with the punches, considering my best friend's rolled with my wishy-washy attitude and almost ended up dead as a result of it. And finally… I have a lot of things to think about, sort out, and learn about.

I _think_ that sums it up. I can't really think of too much else. I cement these four ideas in my head as I gently wrap my hand around hers, squeezing it. She unconsciously reacts, relaxing even further, and I smile softly, laying back further into my chair.

Yeah. I'm sure I made the right choice; now, even more-so.

Love… Maybe I'll start to consider it.

 **Epilogue; Neptune. Months after the 'Broken' week.**

We're all congregating at one of the massive super-pools being constructed throughout Leanbox, today! The weather is nice, the sun is shining, and… there's clips of birds from various games repeating throughout the entire place.

I narrow my eyes, pursing my lips at this revelation. I eyeball Vert, who smiles knowingly as all of us stare at her with unimpressed expressions. "My, is it truly that obvious?"

"Yes. It _is_ rather obvious – so much so that it might be considered an insult," Blanc states, sighing. "I told you that Lowee would be capable of recording better sounds if asked, but you decided to go ahead and create… this crap." I smirk, noticing her calm outer shell is already beginning to show signs of the Blanc within.

"I'm not too impressed, either," Uni remarks, sighing. "You're not even synchronizing the tones or deafening the background noise. You can even _tell_ they're ripped from games without knowing much _about_ games."

I grin. "I'm _pretty_ sure that those are some lame games, too, Vert. Big flops – the biggest flops."

Vert changes her attention to Nep Jr., who smiles nervously. "I… they…," she trails off, drooping as she hangs her head in dismay. "…They are truly not redeemable, Miss Vert."

Vert's face falls, pouting. "You all are so cruel to me – I'll have you know that we have a backup arriving… now.~"

"Ah, I'm sorry that I'm late, everyone," Noire says, appearing from behind us out of nowhere. We lock eyes, pausing for a few moments, saying nothing, before Noire returns her focus to Vert. "Here, I brought your new sound effects. We spliced together various forms of media, adjusting volumes and taking voice samples from real avian creatures surrounding Lastation and Leanbox, so I can guarantee better quality than… well, this garbage."

She looks cute – she's in a frilly white cover-up and jean-shorts, her ribbons styled and colored in a new tropical manner. She grins at Vert, handing her the disc. "Try not to lose it – I don't want to listen to this abomination further than I must, since I already had to deal with it once."

Uni gasps. "We were involved in getting her better audio, too?! Was _that_ why we were creating various sound-effect collections?!"

Noire winks at her, nodding. "We're being appropriately compensated, too. There isn't anything to particularly complain about; we're getting VIP rights to use these places at our leisure, as well. I even extended our generosity to each of you… so remember to thank Lastation plenty, okay?" she smirks as Blanc erupts into a fit.

"Hey, Noire," I say quietly as the group begins proceeding forward toward the actual pools. She pauses, turning around to eye me curiously, and I smile, a light red dusting spreading over my cheeks. "You look great today."

Scarlet practically _explodes_ all over her face as she inhales sharply, freezing up as she stares at me. "I-I-I… I…! It was just something I had lying around, so…!"

I tilt my head, leaning forward, closer to her. "Uh-huh, uh-huh.~ It suits you.~ Though," I lower my voice, grinning. "I'll~ love~ to~ see~ what's~ under~neath!~" Taking the initiative a step further, I lean forward, pecking her cheek, finishing her off.

She flushes, covering her face as she goes dead silent, instinctively hurrying away. Grinning, I observe her as she makes a beeline after the group, and sigh.

It's been a long time since everything happened, though things are always still fresh in my mind. The amount of time it took to get Noire back to her old self wasn't exactly a pleasant time – she had a lot of damage that we didn't really notice until we were able to slow down and see it. I've been by her side constantly, even after we initially agreed to just try and be friends until I could grow warmer to the idea of becoming something more, and I've been happier – knowing how much she cares has made us closer, and I've been more in-tune with her, too.

I'm also more aware of her, though, which is fun, but apparently, it's something she _still_ is super embarrassed by. From time to time, I compliment her or flirt with her to achieve this kind of result – bright red embarrassment and adorable attempts to flee. I'm still not fully sure how far I'd be willing to go in terms of… well, dating, but I've gotten comfortable with the idea, and actually become very familiar with it.

Yeah, I love her. There's a ton of stuff I've skipped in between, though. Maybe I'll contemplate that on some different day, though – for now, we might as well all enjoy today to the fullest.

Ah, right – I wonder how the Ultradimension is doing? The only one that has any contact with them at all is Uni, who keeps in touch with the other Noire from time to time. She won't tell us anything besides that things are fine, which is probably good – Noire still freezes up and her eyes can look a little… unnerving, if we focus on it for too long. Not that I blame her; she's scared. I'll stick by her, though. She's my best friend and my adorable Noire – since I don't know what else to call her besides, well, mine. I'm still not used to it, but whatever!

Smiling, I race down the path after everyone, grinning. I might as well start today off with a heck of a bang, and there's only one thing I know that might do just that. It's embarrassing, but I think she's waited long enough, and I think I'm ready.

"Oh, Noiiire!~" I chirp, watching her jump as everyone turns toward us, the pool expanding out like an ocean before us. She stares at me, confused, until it must dawn on her as her face lights back up, but it's too late. Neptune goes for the tackle, going for the gold as she wraps her arms around her, aaaaand…!

 _Smooch!~_

"…God _damn, finally._ "

* * *

 **I was originally planning to make this its own post to allow myself to tack on fluff updates and side stories and whatnot to it, but now that I've been thinking and going back and forth, I'm already beating myself up for not conveying things _nearly_ as well as I hoped. I need to come back to this and re-do it, hopefully being able to binge-write without too many distractions. It really kind of broke my concentration and sapped some of my drive.**

 **I'm genuinely sorry that this might not be up-to-par. My confidence just took a nose-dive as I've reviewed myself a second time while skimming through it. Regardless, I want to ask about feedback in certain areas, such as:**

 **-My portrayals of Blanc and Uni, from a first person perspective. How do they seem? Relevant to the character, for the most part? Or what can I alter and change to better them? I'm not even going to excuse myself for a relatively piss-poor job at Noire and Plutia this time around; I employed the Yandere idea utterly horribly, and I'll acknowledge it. Neptune was meant to be touched upon in the manner of how CH/IF never really gave us a clear understanding of if Neptune understands love and just avoids it, or is too naive to really grasp it. In a lot of ways, I think I did this well, and in others... meh.**

 **-How can I improve on battle scenes, and how could I improve on portraying desperation or instability in a character? I don't think I handled either too well. Some pointers or something would be wonderful.**

 **I'm going to mainly request feedback for these two, as I'm already not too impressed with my own work. I'm still debating just deleting this for the time being. I feel like shit all of a sudden. Three days feel... somewhat thrown away as I couldn't nail what I had envisioned so well in the beginning. If you want to add onto my self-loathing, go ahead! I'll take credit where credit is due.**

 **Personal update is - my cat's final day is going to be this coming Monday. She's 22, so she's led a hell of a long life, but this _did_ leave me feeling a bit crappier and sapped the energy I had to tackle what was left of the story today. Coupling this with being relatively busy rushing around while helping my parents work on some things, and here I am. I'm going to be a bit more mellow, probably. Expect the next few updates to probably reflect this.**

 **Regardless, I'll post this as I go lay down to sleep for the night. Pardus, I'll give you that request done with a different plot probably tomorrow. :D**

And with that, Tainted out for now.


	33. Mini-Shot 33! Unexpected Sleepover

**'Ello, 'ello! Been a while. Many more months than I thought it's been. Weird.**

 **This is just a little something small that came to me as I wanted to write something; was about to finish up one of my other half-finished shots, but this sounded cute and mimics the fact that I am sleepy as heck right now, so... here it is. A short and sleepy fic'.**

 ** _Long_ rambles at the bottom. Onward!**

* * *

From the depths of dreamland, I feel my consciousness flood unto me as if I had just launched a virtual reality helmet to connect to an MMORPG. I wince, feeling fatigue from every millimeter of my body, and groan softly – I don't fully recall having fallen asleep, nor when I had come to my bed… though, I suppose for various weeks of almost constant work, that this is the least of my concerns. Just… a tad, obviously.

Lifting my right arm, I rub my eyes weakly with the side of my pointer finger, yawning again. I could _definitely_ go for a much longer time asleep, though I surmise that my body isn't yet ready to do just that, thus I'll have to kill time for a little while. Hoisting myself up… isn't working.

Why am I not getting up?

Wiggling, I acknowledge a weight resting upon me, and I raise an eyebrow. Either I've become buried underneath something, or some _one_ , or I've become paralyzed. Considering I can feel the slightly compressed muscles underneath the weight, I would tend to deduce… it's the first one, I'd believe.

Well, at least I'm relatively coherent. I'm not ill, then. But then… who?

Uni? I say the name softly, but there is no response… no, wait, there is – quiet breathing, but nothing more. It occurs to me after a moment that Uni would absolutely never curl up against me without first waking me to check my health, so it can't be her… I think. Tilting my head toward the stranger, I find my nose buried deep in fluffy hair.

Not oily, not dirty, nothing akin to the smell of a man; fluffy, warm, short, perhaps a little spiky, and it smells a little like lavender. I blink my heavy eyelids, feeling them grow a little more alert as I barely make out the pinkish tint in the stark black of my room.

Neptune or Nepgear. Since Nepgear is too polite, it has to be Neptune. That answers _so_ many things… not really. O…kay, let's take a moment to think about this.

I passed out from overwork. I wake up. Neptune is clinging to me. She is sleeping beside me. I moved to my bed between sentences one and two. Neptune likely had a hand in it.

But why does she factor in? Shouldn't she be in Planeptune?

I squint, once again confirming with a little focus; that is _indeed_ Neptune… though, I note now after a few moments that I don't feel her baggy hoodie against me, anywhere. In fact, I don't really feel any clothing on her body… ah, wait, strike that. There's underwear. We're in the clear.

No. No, we're _not._ This is getting weirder, and I'm barely awake. This is _totally_ not normal.

I take a deep breath, stifling a hysteric fit before it comes as I force my mind to dump cold water on itself. Think; what is the best way to tackle this situation?

And was alcohol involved…? No, I'd been entirely sober before I blacked out.

…The best solution is likely to wake the mystery-factor herself, I surmise. It's better than just sitting here, half-enjoying her scent and proximity since she's so damn warm snuggled up to me. Wait, hell, strike that out. No, stop floating around in my head!

I sigh aloud, mustering up my courage while doing my best to ignore the repressed—completely unrelated thoughts plaguing me, taking a reassuring breath. "…Hey, Neptune. Neptune."

Her body jumps, suddenly stirring to some extent as her breath shifts to… whatever you call the way you breathe a little faster when awake. Hell, I'm half-asleep – stop criticizing me, me. "…Mmmnn? Whaaaht…?" she mumbles out, and I pause for a moment, discovering a satisfaction in how sleepy she sounds right now. Like a little kid.

"Sorry for waking you up, but…," wait a minute, why the hell am I apologizing? "What are… uh… you doing in my bed?" I inquire as carefully as I can muster, forcing myself to be as awake as possible to get some sort of proper answer before I submit to the sleepy virus.

She groans, gripping onto my arms tighter as she tugs herself closer – her skin rubbing up against mine, sparking a pleasant feeling. Damn it, stop being so… warm. "…Rrrn. Youu… slammed… 'r head int'… th' desk… 'n passed out, duh…?"

I blink slowly, my eyes refusing to open again for a moment, pursing my lips. Well, that answers the first part, I… guess. "And… you being in my bed?" I press this question again, feeling her squish herself closer, her face pressing into my collarbone. "Hnn…"

Instead of seeing her now, I _feel_ her shrug her shoulders halfheartedly. "Y'… needed t'… come to bed… so I took ya'. It was… late, I think…? I wasn't… gonna' go back t' Planeptun'."

I nod slowly, the fuzziness of her hair prickling under my chin, tickling it while making my face warmer. My eyelids sag. "That… makes sense… 'n being half-nude…?"

A pause for a moment, silence even, and it airily registers in my mind that she's… actually wide awake. I think? "…Does it bother you?"

I cock my head, most of the questions having been answered satisfactorily enough that my body is yielding to sleep once more, and I hum softly. "No… it's kinda' nice, even… Pretty… 'd at cuddlin… M're of'n… 've you..."

I don't really hear the rest, but I feel her climb directly on top of me as she hugs me close, my consciousness surrendering. What's she… saying?

"…ve y…"

* * *

 **You ever notice the way people say things when half-asleep? It slurs or sounds different? Oh, and obligatory statement about Noire waking up in bed beside a man - ever seen that close-up of UNoire? Sex, with _men_? That about covers that.**

some mild translating in case people don't fully grasp it; [You slammed your head into the desk, and passed out... duh?] [You needed to come to bed, so I took you. It was late, I think, and I wasn't about to go back to Planeptune.] [No, it's kinda' nice, even. Pretty good at cuddling. More often, with you.] and then figure out that last one and what she coulda' been rambling about before Noire just flatlined.

 **Well, at least _I_ get a bit fuzzy when I'm dead tired or barely awake. Also shows in my typing. Regardless!**

 **It's a bit haphazard, but it's a refresher for getting back into the swing of things. Mostly surprised I spent six solid months out of posting anything - should see the fact that I've written a handful of unfinished things that'll make their way to the site through the next few days. With that said, the rest, un-bold'd, is personal stuff in case you've been wondering about me:**

truthfully, if anyone wonders how i've been since that last post and the stuff going on during it - i've regained my confidence in that i discovered what really bothered me about it; it became rushed and lacked many of the various details i wanted in it, mostly at the time due to cutting it short and knowing my mental state would take a dive due to my lil' old kitty being put down. shit happens, i s'pose, but regardless - i'm all good now and i'll see that thing redone at some point, made into an actual story post of its own since it's a lot lengthier in actual form than how it turned out. regarding the cat? i'd discovered i'm a little emotionally off as it didn't cause nearly as much emotional turmoil as it should've - which, in turn, as some people might relate, causes turmoil of its own - and i was wrapping up some loose ends on a very shaky and messy relationship that continues to plague me to even now. i've ultimately just decided i'm not into love and i'm not capable of the whole 'deep affection' thing when it comes to 3d. happens, right? regardless, hopefully that'll **truly** end soon so that i can continue on being a single and blissfully aloof blob, as i've always been better off like that, and that she'll find happiness in someone far better. but, that about sums it all up; i've just been exceptionally off and in extreme bouts of my usual constant depression, so it's been a weird ride. sorry about that, all. but, back onto the other stuff!

 **I just checked some of the reviews since my last log-on, and, I must say; SQUEAAAAAAAAAAAAL. Konami is one of my favorite artists and their art is SO DAMN ADORABLE, FREAKING YES. To have inspired, even mildly, fanart for them - and to have been credited the inspiration of it, which just feels so freaking fluffy-fuzzy I can't even tell you - is literally the warmest feeling I've felt in a long time. I'm glad that my writing elicits emotion and reactions in people, and it's a strangely flattering and pleasant feeling. I've been gushing since I discovered that review pointing that out for... six hours? It's been a hella'-great evening for a weird and mildly depressed day. I'm buzzing. Chaos, I adore you.**

 **And with that bumbling happiness stated and addressed, I'll be posting again more often - especially due to the coming obsessive hype 4GO releasing for consoles has had on me, alongside talking to a fellow NepNowa and Neptunia fan on my phone often. This sort of stuff is what always sparks the most activity out of me; I adore all of you guys and find you all so darn pleasant to talk to. ^^ You're all wonderful people, y'know? *Ahem* But yeah, I've got a lot of shots I want to see finished that have sat in my folders for a little while, and dabble in some more that spawned from conversations and just musings in my head. Expect to see more; this is a refresher for me to get back into writing first person Noire. Need to do Nep again and get that rolling, as well.**

 **Yeah, I'll be back again for a while, at least. Neptunia wards off my depression, who knew? Ah, and most notes'll be back to being shorter again after this. Sorry for the long ramble - felt it necessary for those curious.**

 **Tainted out!~**


	34. Shot 34! Game Night

**I lied. It wasn't going to be a Nep POV. This came right after that last post, and it was too fun to not write.**

 ***whisper* hail hydra**

 **Onward!**

* * *

"Aw, c'mon, I lost!"

These words are words that aren't uncommon amongst our group, especially from the current source – they're a statement as frequent as 'Histoire's screaming again,' if we are to be frank. Words that, most days, I tend to ignore, but right now…

She grinds against my lap, leaning forward while pouting, leaving me to stifle and mask the sensations she's sending spiraling through my body. I huff shakily, knitting my eyebrows angrily as I shake my head, doubling my efforts to focus on the controller in my hands and the screen beyond her form.

"Yeah, like usual. You just suck, Neptune – nothing new," Blanc comments flatly, her usual attitude as blunt and rough as always. She leans back against the cushions piled behind her, draping her free arm and neck over them as she spins the controller in her occupied hand. "Haah. That's seventeen losses in a row – are you just bad at this game?"

Vert chuckles, waving her hand. "Perhaps it is just not Neptune's night, wouldn't you say? She _is_ playing rather poorly; she may be feeling ill. What is your input, Noire?"

I purse my lips, somewhat irked that neither of them seem aware of her current location, nor her body movements. "I think she ought to _find a better damn seat than my lap._ "

This only started recently, during the game-night tonight. She just up and decided, during one of the rounds, to plop down against me, claiming it wouldn't affect either of us all that much. That, that's alright, she does it a lot – I'm not too fussed, however… it doesn't end there. As the rounds have gone on, she's been steadily _moving_ against me, and it's… un…pleasantly sensual. It wasn't too distracting at first – her wiggling was mostly tolerable, but now it's flat-out _grinding._

 _Is she doing this on purpose?!_

As the games have progressed, I've become more acutely aware of her breath, her movements, the way she feels, how warm she can get, and how disconcertingly well she melds with me – factors that I hadn't really given _too_ much thought up until today… o-or rather, even if I _did_ , I didn't have anything tangible to surmise it to be like. That statement no longer holds true.

Blanc and Vert both pause, Neptune continuing on to get her gear back from having missed a jump – the game being a 4-way co-op dungeon-crawler – their attention shifting toward us… as Neptune's movements stop instantaneously. Blanc raises an eyebrow at me, shrugging. "She's done that shit before, what's up your craw, then?"

Vert nods. "I'm afraid that I must agree – it hasn't seemed to bother you on previous nights."

I grimace, exhaling angrily. "It's just a little different tonight. I wasn't really in the mood to be her Goddess-damned pillow."

Neptune shakes her head, shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm not movin'."

Blanc waves a hand at me dismissively. "Judge, jury, and executioner – you're stuck, now stop whining. Maybe _you're_ what's distracting her."

I gape at her, feeling my eye twitch. "Ex _cuse_ me? Why don't you have Vert sit in _your_ lap for the entire night, and see how you—."

"Hell no. I couldn't see over or around her like you can with Neptune."

"I'm afraid that I'm not inclined to have her in my lap, either, I must say," Vert remarks shortly after. "She lacks the feminine charm, you see."

"… _Heh?_ The hell you say, Thunder-Tits?"

"Oh? I merely am referring to how skinny and thin you truly are. It's a _flat_ statement, you see.~"

"…Oh _hell_ no, you didn't."

And thus, the two are at it again, leaving me with Neptune who has only now managed to retrieve her gear. She calls out to the two of them, but they seem to be too preoccupied to answer her… though, they're focused enough to begin proceeding through the dungeon again. Amazing.

Things proceed relatively smoothly now, and Neptune's toned down her shifting against me to very methodic grinding – which, much to my chagrin, doesn't feel too bad, but I'm never admitting that outwardly – and we're avoiding any extreme accidents as Blanc and Vert bicker.

I begin to notice a pattern amidst training my mind to be blank and empty. Roll, forward thrust. Neptune's movements in the game begin to dull as she begins to focus more on her physical movements, and I cock an eyebrow at this fact. Something tells me that this isn't unintentional.

Beginning to rack my brain, I attempt to think back on things – has it always been like this? Let's see… Oh, hidden room, better call that out. Anyway, she's very keen on skinship, what with all the hugs, but I don't recall anything outright sexual. It's a little out of character for her, even; since when did she even see me like this? Or… did she only just now discover pleasure? Improbable, she's as old as I am… but it's not impossible. Still, on _me_? That seems a little farfetched.

So… is this a blatant statement of, 'I like you'? Or am I reading into this too much? Ah, shit, jump. Ambush? Time to use a skill. I can't even really think straight – it's kind of a strange musing that I wasn't really prepared to have. I mean, I set _those_ thoughts aside a long time ago for the simple fact that she seemed entirely oblivious.

Or was _I_ the one reading the signals wrong? Oh, good, epic-tier loot that can replace my boots.

I shift my eyes onto the back of Neptune's head, leaning up into a straighter sitting position, frowning. You're doing a terrible job at helping me figure this out, Neptune. A better hint or something a bit more vocal would've been more appreciated for something like this.

And, how would it affect our group's dynamic, anyway? Even if we both felt like _that_ , couldn't it have lasting impacts on all of us?

"I'm gettin' up to go get something to drink," Blanc comments suddenly, having set her character in a corner. "Any of you want anything?"

Vert smiles but shakes her head. "I, too, need to take a momentary break to quickly contact Chika to see how things are going. Neptune, Noire; watch over us, if you could?"

"Yeah, yeah," Neptune remarks, and I open my mouth to say something, but the two disappear before I can manage out a single word. Neptune immediately moves her character to cover the other two, yawning softly. Okay, Noire. Time to get to the bottom of this.

"Explain yourself."

"…Eh?"

"Explain yourself. Why you're… you're doing _that._ "

"…I dunno' what you mean?"

I glare at her, sighing. Playing coy, or genuinely answering? It can be hard to tell with Neptune sometimes. Wrapping an arm around her, I usher away my embarrassment and set my hand gently on her thigh – she jumps instantly, a very quiet sound emanating in her throat instinctively.

Waiting a few moments, I poke her back as she remains dead silent. "I'm waiting."

She coughs, shrugging. "N-nooooo idea what you're talking about, Noire."

"Is that so?" I state flatly, somewhat annoyed. Finding it easier to channel my irritation to assuage my embarrassment, I focus my efforts on dragging my nails along her bare thigh, watching her shiver – which, unfortunately, causes me to do the same in turn, but… this is a minor price to pay to get her to cut this weird crap off. "That'ssss… a shame."

She perks up, her breathing a little off. "W-wha? What d… d'ya' mean by that?"

I smirk, only because she can't see my face right now. I'm sure it's bright red anyway. It's hot enough at the moment. "If it's not intentional, then, it's _nothing._ "

She whimpers as I rub my fingers against her skin gently, and we both sigh shakily in unison. "That's… nnn…not fair."

"You started it. Now fess up."

She groans, turning her head to the side – her cheeks absolutely scarlet. "…Take a hint."

"So they've _been_ hints?"

"Do I _do_ all this stuff with anyone else?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"I don't."

"Good to know."

Silence settles between us, nothing being said for at least a handful of minutes. She remains turned slightly to the side, and I remain under her, a hand on her leg. I'm surprisingly calm about this entire thing – or maybe it's disbelief and shock. Hard to say.

"…So?" she asks.

"…So," I manage back, exhaling nervously. "Is this supposed to… be a haphazard confession?"

She coughs suddenly, and I pat her back with my spare hand – her cheeks reddened further. "Y…yeah?"

…A warm smile spreads across my cheeks, though I purse my lips to stifle it to a certain degree as I lift my hand, running it through her hair gently. "You're terrible at this, you know that?" I say, chuckling softly.

She smirks, craning her neck over to face me, her body twisting around to straddle me surprisingly easily. "I'm… well aware. Is it working, at least?"

"Better than the last dozen times, though that's not saying much."

"You're just really thick."

"Look who's talking."

"I know. Best thighs comes with best butt, after all."

"T-that's not… Uuuugh, that one was so bad it was good."

We both laugh, though we make no further moves beyond me petting her head and her staring at me. Wait, I glance downward and take note of the hand on her leg again. Scratch that, the position isn't entirely innocent.

"You're… handlin' this a lot better than I expected," she mumbles.

"Shock value, more than anything. It'll wear off soon."

"Before game night ends?" she inquires, and I raise an eyebrow. "Well, I'd… um… like to act on it _before_ that happens, so…"

"…Are you telling me that _that_ is a definitive thing tonight?" I ask in disbelief.

She shyly nods her head, and I blink, dumbfounded. "That… bad?"

"…No, just… holy _shit._ "

"Sounds like you're even more shocked than before?" she points out, grinning, and I swat her leg, earning a slight reaction from her unintentionally. "Mm—ah, crap, sorry."

"…Alright, uh…"

"…Hm…?"

I turn my head to the side, feeling my face flush the color of lava, unable to say anything further. The words just… won't form. This… might be a bit too fast for me. Come on, say something, something… _anything_. "…L-later." _Shit._ That was terrible. Quick. "I'm… barely handling it, right now… y'know?"

She laughs nervously, her face having contorted from panic to relief in an instant. "Ah… aaaah. Y-yeah, I gotcha'."

We two say nothing, but remain facing one another. I can feel it, and I'm sure she can, too – the desire to go further, to take the first step… but neither of us seem to be able to take that final step. Damn it, Noire – this is actually the most important thing to have ever come your way, step up, damn it!

Surprisingly, Neptune takes the initiative, leaning forward to wrap her arms around me, embracing me awkwardly. Her grip is unsteady, nervous – unassured. It's not like all the hugs from before; it's… a hug with more meaning, I'd say, so I can't mess this up. I offer her no resistance, allowing her to pull me closer to her, and I instinctively remove my hand from her thigh to wrap around her waist, aiding her in melding our bodies together.

At once, her warmth rushes into me – since when did she run this hot? Is it the embarrassment, or is she always this warm? I glance at her, though her eyes are closed and trembling, and I feel a pang of hundreds of inexplicable emotions simultaneously. My body moving on its own, I place my lips to her cheek, using my hand in her hair to pull her head toward mine, nuzzling her simultaneously.

We both emit shaky sighs, unsure of what to do beyond this. For a few moments, neither of us do anything, but suddenly… out of nowhere… she chuckles. And then I chuckle, and then it erupts into flat-out laughter. Her arms around me grow sure and relaxed, hugging me firmly, and mine do the same around her back and head, our heads turning toward each other slowly.

"This is so… awkward?" I comment, and she laughs, nodding, her nose brushing against mine. Her face is so beautiful up close, and her smiles are intoxicating.

"Who knew that it'd all start like this? Love's weird, huh?" she remarks, and I smile, making a sound of affirmation. My eyes won't leave her face – that sparkling smile, the dazzling twinkle of her eyes, the clean softness of her skin; it's like I'm gazing at an angel.

Neither of us need to say those three words right now; I think it's a little obvious and just tacky at this point. Instead, we just remain in a close embrace, enjoying one another's presence – the fact of reciprocation, of affection being real, just… really making it.

"Hey, Neptune?"

"Mm?"

"I lied. I suppose I can be your seat."

"…Eheh…"

"…Pervert."

* * *

"…Soooo," I remark, gazing at the two from behind one of the doorways in the hallway leading back to the room, Vert standing beside me with a wide shit-eating grin on her face, "what the hell do we do now?"

She shrugs, her arms crossed, her attention focused like a mother watching her children. "I'm not quite sure; you were the one who suggested a tactical retreat to allow them to discover where they stand."

"Wasn't expectin' shit to get so… sappy and heavy? You don't think they're goin' to start…?"

"I would hope not, but I suppose that we may just have to extend our period of absence if that is the case. Intervention now may cause irreparable damage."

I sigh, muttering curses at myself. "I wasn't goin' to keep watchin' _that_ shit going on all night, y'know."

She chuckles silently. "I am well aware and of the same opinion – this is a necessary step for both of them to take. Are you upset?"

"…Nah," I say, smiling softly. "They're obnoxious, but it's not too bad. Better than the opposite, at least."

"Agreed. So, what shall we do now? Dare we explore the depths of—?"

"You can take you, and your saggy chest, and go find someone else to fuck with. I guess I'll go look for somethin' to eat. C'mon."

"Ah, but what if I wasn't messing with you?~"

"Don't push it."

* * *

 **Little messy, but it's just mostly for the fun of it right about now. Can't say I'm too upset. Also enjoyed having a little bit of Blanc writing to do afterward. Might as well work on it a little since a friend wants some help with her. :D**

 **Expect more later. I'm done for tonight, though - two quick 'n short posts in four hours. Satisfactory.**

 **Tainted out!~**


	35. Shot 35! Scientific Curiosity, Denied

_**Poof**_ **, a Neptunia fic; to be exact, a UNoire/BigNep fic. It's not the lightest thing I've written, but it's been a kind of terrible day on a personal level - better though due to amazing people to talk to on the side while writing and to bounce ideas back and forth with. :) Regardless, I'm gonna' throw this down as I've got another idea to tackle relatively soon, once I've got it a little more fleshed out in my head. Might be a bit longer if I decide to use half of the things I've got in mind, but we'll see. ^^**

 **Onward!**

* * *

Target confirmed; subject is sipping from a small, ornate teacup – likely from some fancy promotion in subject's city. Wait for it… wait for it… _wait for it…_

"Hey, Noire, how do CPUs reproduce?"

…A glorious fountain, an excellent reaction. I chuckle quietly while covering my face with my hand, turning my head to mask the amusement. She sputters for a few moments, utterly dumbfounded and confounded, her face a little messy and red – an adorable sight to behold; full mission success.

" _Why the hell do you always come out with weird things like that?!_ " she shouts, angrily whapping her hand on her desk as some of the papers float wistfully off of it. Having reassumed my innocent expression, I tilt my head with a frown as she grumbles and moves to gather up her misplaced forms.

"Whaddya' mean? I'm askin' for the benefit of scientific curiosity, of course!" I chirp, leaning my cheek into my pointer finger while beaming at her. She squints at me, obviously weighing the validity of my words, and then exhales with obvious intent to recompose herself.

"This isn't just some elaborate way to rile me up, _again_ , is it?" she inquires, and I widen my eyes with a pout as a result.

"I'm hurt – you know I'm not like that," I counter, and I'm pretty confident in how genuine I sound… but she rolls her eyes. Drat, she might be onto me.

"As if I hadn't heard that statement from you before," her voice is flat, her shimmering crimson eyes skeptical as she crosses her arms over her chest, shaking her head. "Whenever you decide to open your mouth, trouble follows."

I purse my lips, eyeing her with doubt. "Not always."

Another dismissive motion of the head. "Most of the time. Goddess, why do I let you stay here…," can be heard muttered, to which I grin smugly.

"Because you adore me and my company, duh?" I answer, and she halves the lids on her eyes in disapproval, to which I glance away, rubbing the back of my head. "Not that, huh? Well, fine, because you're super kind and a bit of a sucker?"

She laughs. "Well, at least _that_ one's not a load of crap. Grab those papers at your feet, I don't really feel like getting up to grab them."

I shrug, "What's in it for me?"

Watching as she plants herself in her seat, she lays her head in one of her hands as it rests supported by her elbow on the table. "I _might_ humor you."

Raising my eyebrows, I whistle in amazement. "Why thank you for your kind benevolence for your poor servant, O' Mighty Goddess…"

"Don't push it," she growls, and I chuckle.

"Aye, aye, ma'am!" Pacing about the room, I gather up the last six or seven stray papers that flew about. At least I think it's six or seven, let's see… three… five… six… Yeah! Six. I was half-right. Glossing over them, I reorganize them back into a proper stack before happily proceeding to the desk, setting the small pile off to the side of the dozens of stacks already clogging up the furniture's surface. "All accounted for – though, you're really falling behind, y'know."

She huffs, nodding weakly. "A little; it's been a busy period of time for Lastation, as I'm sure I've told you before. If what you said was true after you returned from the other dimension, and a 'Shift' period is coming, I need to lay a lot of groundwork before that time comes to our dimension as well."

I nod. "I knew what I saw; it was pretty chaotic, though, what with the whole _other_ dimension with a super-baddie wanting to destroy everything and all that good stuff. Quite an interesting series of events; ya' shoulda' been there."

"If I'd had the ability to roam dimensions on a whim, like you, maybe. However, as long as they're alright and I am able to learn from the future, I can proceed accordingly to prevent the same issues from springing up here," she remarks, already having set aside yet another document with, from what I can see at an angle, a full and complex patrol routine for Basilicom staff. I whistle. "…Huh? What's that about?"

"Just looking over your outlines. Extra careful, huh?"

"I've learned from multiple places that better and more adept patrols are necessary. Part in thanks to you, actually."

I cock my head. "Whatcha' mean?"

She smirks bitterly. "You've given my staff quite the run-around various times when you come and go. I discover new holes in our systems every time you decide you've found something to go play with."

I blink. "You almost sound a little jealous."

She huffs while averting her eyes. "I'm not; it's just fatigue."

Truthfully, I don't know much about how things went for her while I was off in that other dimension – I picked her attitude up after some stuff here went down that had her bummed, and she's allowed me to hang around when I want with free room and board, though… "Hey, y'know it's fine to admit that you were a little lonely without me," I say softly, leaning toward her to wrap an arm around her, pulling her close – much to her surprise, judging by the cute little sound escaping her lips.

"S-shut up, it's not like that…," she mumbles, her face reddened, though she isn't resisting me like she used to. "You're just… so loud and annoying and bother me all the time, that when you aren't around, it's… disruptive in itself."

I smirk. "So, my little Noire is accustomed to me being here, huh~?"

A sigh. "I _knew_ you'd start that up again."

"It's true, isn't it~? I'll not leave you again for too long then, my dear~," I sing into her ear softly as she shivers, trying to twist her head away. Using my free arm, I raise my hand and begin petting her, smiling. "I'm pretty comfortable crashing here, as it is, anyway, so I think I'll keep sticking around. No worries about 'ol Nepsy leaving ya' anytime soon~."

Denying it again, she slips out from my reassuring embrace, grabbing her pen… though, I can see a small smile barely concealed on her lips, and as I straighten my posture, I beam. She's a whole lot more positive than she was back when I first tumbled into her life, though I suppose that I can't take credit for _all_ of it. She's a tough little cookie, this workaholic Goddess of Lastation.

Observing as she begins to delve back into her work, I opt to lend a hand in taking some of the papers and a small clipboard off her desk – pen included, of course – before plopping down on the luxurious couch situated to the side of the desk. She no longer gets weird about this, I've noticed – I'm not _too_ bad at handling paperwork if I want to, and she's inadvertently stated through tsunified words that she appreciates the help, so why not?

 _Scratch, scribble, shffft._

 _Scribble, scratch, shffft._

The room is only really chock full of sounds of paper rustling, pen against said paper, and the soft breathing of both her and I. It's actually somewhat relaxing, y'know, being in a room with a pretty girl while you just stare at various technological statements, funding requests, and reports needing to be reviewed and checked off on. Exhaling, I focus my attention on the ceiling for a few moments; an ornate chandelier dangling above our heads, casting light beams in every direction off sparkling crystals. "I don't know how ya' can do this, day in and day out."

I don't even need to look over to see; she barely lifts her head, tilting it only ever-so-slightly, her attention still seventy-five percent on the work in front of her. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

I shrug nonchalantly, stretching, before devoting fifty percent of my own focus to the ample stack that I took from her. "Just, staying cooped up here all the time. Ya' need to get out more. Heck, I'll even take over for a day if ya' want to argue that things are 'too busy' or whatever. Nep that."

She chuckles, setting her pen down for a moment. Rolling my eyes down slightly, I note that she leans back in her chair, stretching as well, her eyes resting on me. "I appreciate the offer, but… I'm pretty sure you'd be unable to keep it up for a full day. Still, maybe you're right; I could do with a break after we're done with all of this."

 _Nod, nod._ "Ex _actly._ _Thattagirl._ I'll take ya' out and we can do something fun!"

Snort. "I'm not sure I'd want to see what you'd pick. We'll have to see."

"Eh… I'll take it; at least it's an agreement. I was gonna' abduct ya' if you said 'No' though, just lettin' ya' know," I state, setting aside another form after mapping out a couple holes in an interview process for Basilicom staff. I mean, _why_ would we allow sexuality-questionable gender-confused robots work for us? That's just asking for trouble.

"I'd _pay_ to see you try," she counters, and I whistle. "You're still only just a human, Neptune. CPUs are just that much stronger."

"You'd need a handicap just 'cause ya' know I'd Nep your pants off," I decree matter-of-factly, to which she coughs abruptly. Mainly at the last five words. I smirk. "What's the matter? Got Nep on the brain~?"

 _Cough, cough, vehement denial._ "A-absolutely not! Stop twisting my words around!"

"Hmm… I'll let ya' off the hook this time, then~. Anyway, you never did answer my question," I remark, and she blinks in confusion. "How do you CPUs reproduce?"

"…Are you actually really asking?" she inquires quietly, sighing.

"I am, because it's interesting. Is it like anyone else? Or is your anatomy just for pleasing my eyes~?" I suggest, and she pauses, frowning.

"I'm… um, not entirely sure, actually. I know we aren't reproduced like robots or anything, but Histoire hasn't shed any light on the matter outside of 'More shares are necessary.'" She sounds mystified as she moves her attention to one of the windows looking out over Lastation. "The only statement that Histoire has given is that 'Men are forbidden in the process,' so there's that, at least."

I nod. "I'd sure hope so. This is a Yuri-centric omniverse, after all. Anything else is **_heresy,_** " I remark, shifting my attention in an unseen direction, as if looking out from a screen at someone disapprovingly.

Noire snickers. "Sex? With _men_? Disgusting."

Silence soon settles again, and I pause for a moment, thinking. Technically speaking, if men are not involved – it's not flat-out reproduction through copulation, so I'd tend to suppose their anatomy is only really for the purpose of aesthetic appeal to attract more followers? Or do they have sensory nerves…? Perplexed, I frown.

"Hey, Noire. Does anything happen when I touch you?"

"…E-excuse me?" She stops her work again, eyeing me suspiciously.

"No, wait, hear me out – like, when I hug you or rub up against you or l—no, no, stop looking like that, I was just going to make a harmless comment… but, do you feel it, or did that stop when you became a CPU?" I inquire, and she raises an eyebrow.

"You're putting a lot of thought into this," she notes, and I nod. "Well, I've become _more_ aware of my senses since becoming a Goddess, actually. A little unexpected, even for me, since I did some research on it before becoming one, but… I'm not sure how it works."

Rubbing my chin, I let out a sound of scientific satisfaction. "So, the act of love-making would be even _better_ for you, then…"

A sudden sharp inhale and a squeak. "W-what the hell?"

"Your voice cracked," I point out, though it doesn't seem to matter to her as she speaks as though I didn't note it.

" _Why_ are you stuck on those kinds of thoughts?"

"Curiosity?"

She frowns, crossing her arms with a sheepish look on her face. "T-t-there's more to it than that. There _has_ to be."

Rubbing my cheek, I shrug. "Not right _now_ , no. Are you thinking dirty things again~?"

"C-c-cut that out. You're starting to worry me."

Whistling as I look away, once again the silence settles, and I find myself growing more and more intrigued in how little Noire's acting. Is she trying to show signs of interest in helping me solve this scientific curiosity, or is she actually concerned? Tsunderes can be so difficult.

 _Scribble, scribble, scratch, scrawl._

Setting aside another sheet, the pile seems immensely smaller from… Oh, Nep, two hours ago. Now _that's_ what I call losing track of time! Tossing my gaze toward Noire's desk, I note that she's managed to sort out quite a hefty stack of work herself, though… she, herself, has completely stopped, now.

 _Blink, blink._

I'd say I've been getting into her head more than I'd originally intended, now. Allowing my perplexed expression to show on my face, I study her somewhat distant but troubled face – it's not like _pained_ trouble, but more like… conflicted?

Well, I can't really tell – it's some sort of trouble, but it isn't the _super-bad_ trouble. If that makes sense. Maybe I ought to say something?

"Hey, Noire." _Fwip._ She jumps at my voice, her body stiffening as her eyes dart up to center on me. Half-lidding my eyes, I stare at her blankly, raising a hand to rub the back of my head. "You… alright?"

She hesitates for a moment; there's swirling emotions behind those eyes, and I can tell… it's kind of having an effect on me. Wh _oooo._ "A-ah, yeah. I'm fine, don't… er, don't worry."

 _Badump._

"Little, adorable Noire," my voice comes out softly as she winces, eyeing me. "You seem to be in need of some… _nursing_ , it seems~."

"I… I… uh…"

"We'll take a break for a little bit and help you get back to being able to focus, 'kay~?" I state matter-of-factly, and she gulps as I rise from my seat, setting the clipboard onto the cushion as I make my way toward her, smiling. "Don't worry; we won't go _that_ far, but…~"

"…B-but…?"

I giggle. She's always so cute when she suddenly gets her mind all muddled, though… I don't want to push that boundary just yet, not _too_ far, at least; not until she's cognizant and forward about it. So, with that said…

I peck her on the cheek gently, watching her fizzle out – just like she always does when we manage to find ourselves on this hairy little edge, and _poof_ , little Black Heart's out of commission once more. It's sometimes a bit of a shame, especially since I keep refraining from going further, but I'm not going to push this little bunny. I might even be a little attached after all this time. Go figure.

Well, oh well. There's always next time - there's always tomorrow, when she's fresher. To continue chipping down her little walls, to replace _her_ in her mind. It's not too bad of a little fantasy, really~.

Humming to myself, I lift her from her seat, deciding it'd be best to take this opportunity and allow her to get some proper sleep for the time being while I force myself to wrap up what's left of all this technical stuff.

Gazing down at her, I find myself content – she's a lot more peaceful now, and she's just as beautiful as always. Yeah, why wouldn't I stay put and hang out with this adorable little girl to keep me company~?

It'd be nonsensical, and Neps are many things, but we aren't illogical.

* * *

 **Ending that off there, might dabble on a later shot that loosely relates to it, though _that'd_ end up being something not suitable for small children, and I try to maintain a mostly-acceptable content level at all times for all ages. Still, this was fun.**

 **I like to think that the two would be getting along a bit more closely and with less jokes as time has gone on - dabbling with how BigNep would be after a world-saving adventure, how UNoire'd be with her absence (though this _totally_ isn't a plausible continuation of something written earlier that I didn't end up making any further updates for, yet), and just general fluff all along the way.**

 **BigNep fits a better 'mature and experienced' role in my mind than even a Vert would, personally. She's grown up human and seen a whole lot of crap since then. So, why not?**

 **Expect something later on, though I might take a nap relatively soon to get my energy back. Lovin' the new ideas that just came to me from discussing the next shot I'll likely be working on, and the fact that it spawned _another_ couple ideas out of that idea as well. It's just an endless cycle, I swear.**

But, enough of that. Tainted out!~


	36. Shot 36! Hairbrain

**This is, as of for now, finished. I have a doctor appointment later today and I'm gonna' be busy with it most of the day, so for the moment being, I'll call this here and just state that another shot'll pop up with plausibly 'loose' ties to it at some point so that I can post this part without losing any 'oomph' on it. Maybe with the same title name for clarification, though it depends on my mood.**

 **It was adorable and fun, and I want to expand on it.**

 **Onward!**

* * *

Watching her ribbons bob as she proceeds along ahead of me, I cock my head with wonder. Have I ever actually asked, or for that matter, has _anyone_ asked, or is it just an unspoken mystery of the world? Like how we CPUs were like when we were first alive – were we born this size or did we grow up like little kids? No one asks, now do they? Or how people could ever listen to dubs after playing the games in subs, or why Lowee's CPU is the least child-friendly of all of us, or—you get the idea, right, me?

Yup, I do. It's just weird.

Scratching my cheek, I eye her head as it swivels to and fro, her attention shifting from place to place as we traverse around a newly discovered pretty little nature spot – discovered by _Planeptune's_ scouts, might I add~. Her eyes sparkle a little and she seems completely immersed in her exploration – like a little kid, which makes me grin, though I won't call her out on it. Last time _I'd_ ever see the Queen of Tsun ever let her guard down around me.

It's bothering me, though. I'm refraining the best I can, I'm giving her all she's got, Cap'n; if I push it any harder, the whole thing'll blow! No, no, we're tipping over the edge! Noooo!

"Hey, Noire…," I say slowly, unable to really help it. This question is plaguing me far too much to go unmentioned! Her head perks up at my voice, and she stops, pivoting on her heel to face me at once, her hands clasped behind her back as she beams softly.

 _I-will-protect-it-I-will-see-it-grow-up-healthy-I-want-to-tell-my-friends-and-neighbors-about-it-STRONGLY-AGREE-x-3._

"Mm? What's up, Neptune?" she inquires, and I frown for a moment, unsure how to best approach this question. How do I avoid making this sound… weird, I wonder? "Neptune?"

"I just, uh, wanted to ask," I start, struggling, "how, uh… or, maybe why…"

"…Hm?" Mild head-tilt, slight lean, eyes focused on me; she's _way too excited_ about this trip. _Gulp._

"Okay, uh, don't take this the wrong way… why d'ya' wear your hair up in ribbons all the time?" I finally decide to blurt it out, rubbing the back of my head awkwardly. "I, um, don't recall anyone ever asking or ya' ever telling us, so, it occurred to me, and…"

Pause. Moment of silence, then… a giggle. _Blink._ I cock my head at her as she holds a hand to her mouth, giggling at me. Did I phrase it weird? I don't think I did. Deciding to ask, I open my mouth, but she answers first, "Sorry, sorry; you tried to be considerate over _that_ kind of question of all things? It's just a little funny."

 _Pout._ "I _usually_ try to come off a little less silly when it's just you and me," I counter, and she nods while still chortling, shaking her head.

"I know, I know. I appreciate it, just… you had all of that pausing and a dilemma over asking me about my _hair_? It just really amused me," she answers calmly, pardoning herself a moment to turn her face away and recompose herself. After a few tiny coughs, she straightens her posture and focuses on me again, entwining her fingers in front of her while looking away in thought. "Hm… the ribbons? Let's see…"

Seizing the moment to soak in our surroundings and ensure there's no immediate danger nearby, I plop down in the grass and look up at her patiently, waiting. Truthfully, it's not as if there's a time-constraint; we decided to volunteer together to map out this region for all of the nations' benefits, and made it a two-girl adventure simultaneously. It's one of the few times we've hung out without our sisters or the other two in tow, so she shouldn't mind me taking a seat here— _she just sat down, too._

"Honestly, I don't know if I've ever really thought hard about it, myself. At one point, I had shorter hair and didn't do too much with it. I didn't really like it as much, though, so I decided instead to grow it out, and the ribbons were added afterward to help keep it straight and get it out of my face so I could work, as well as help it air out a little as I wash it every morning. It's kind of a mash-up as to which was the foremost reason, I guess, but it's just stuck ever since," she explains, running her fingers through it. "It's gotten a lot silkier now, and it's stayed free and clean of tangles and damage, so I can't really complain, either."

Arching an eyebrow, I hum in wonder. "Does that actually help? Mine just becomes frizzy—well, frizz _ier_ if I let it go. And, it looks pretty silky, so you're right about that," I remark, gazing at one of her tails. They sparkle a whole lot more in the sun than most people's hair does, but if she's washing it as meticulously as she does everything else every day, then it makes sense.

She purses her lips while shifting her pupils onto me, a little flustered by my praise. "I-I'm not really sure; it's worked for me, so I don't really question it, much. Yours might be due to how short it is, honestly, or… maybe the climate in Planeptune's a bit more humid?"

I narrow my eyes in mild displeasure. "Well, that'd just suck, then! I mean, feel it – I take pretty good care of my hair, don't I?" I demand, hoisting myself up and against her – much to her bewilderment – before plopping down. "Give it to me straight, Doc; how's it feel?"

 _Random off-guard tsun noises._ "I-I-I-I… d-don't just up and decide to get so close to me! It can be taken the wrong way!"

"We're the only ones here, y'know."

A pause filled with more stuttering tsun noises comes, but she eventually seems to find her calm as she quiets down, begrudgingly mumbling as she raises her hands up to delve into my hair.

And _ooh_ , are her fingers gentle~! I shift in mild contentment as her hands comb through and rub my scalp and fluffy hair, her barely-audible breath slow and rhythmic. "That feels nice," I remark, and she sighs, opting to not respond. Deciding to take this time and amuse myself, I reach for and grab one of her tails and begin running my hands through it as well, and gasp. "Noire… _Why_ is this so silky and straight?!"

Glancing at her, she averts her eyes whilst rolling them. "I-I told you; I don't really know. It just works out that way. And… who said you could touch my hair?"

I grin. "Ya' never said I couldn't?"

A grumble, but she doesn't seem to lose stride this time. "At least… as far as I can tell from feeling it, you need new shampoo, first things first. Whatever you're currently using doesn't seem to be providing it the support and nutrients it needs to maintain a fully healthy appearance. Second… maybe, just maybe, you could treat it better and have someone trim out these split ends and tackle some of these tangles?"

I lower an eyelid skeptically. "Explain that latter part; whatcha' trying to say, sister? I treat my hair pretty well!"

She purses her lips, staring at me in deadpan. "You also take naps outside, and pretty much lounge and play anywhere, now don't you?"

 _Freeze._ "…How…"

"I'm pretty in-tune with you, Neptune," she explains matter-of-factly, smirking at her wordplay. "If nothing else, I… I suppose I could try and help you out with hair-care at some point. I'll also have to explore what brands of shampoo Planeptune has in stock; maybe Leanbox will especially help you, since they're an exceptionally tropical nation."

Raising an eyebrow, "Why not Lastation? I thought ya' loved to push your nation as the best?"

She grimaces. "It's a true statement, but it feels unpleasant when you say it like that," she mumbles, but continues before I can say anything. "R-regardless, Lastation doesn't really suffer from humidity as much as industrial pollutions and the like; our climate's stable and on the cooler and dryer side. We're more in line with Lowee than Leanbox, and I've never really conducted research into Planeptune's climate, so I'm not sure. If you're different from our nation in climate, Leanbox is your best bet."

I whistle. "You're really knowledgeable about this stuff. Kinda' impressive; ya' really care about your hair, huh?"

She nods without a moment's hesitation. "Of course; a Goddess' appearance is one of many aspects to always be mindful of. This is just another piece of a bigger picture in maintaining your image."

I mumble in mild jealous disinterest, "…Perfectionist…"

She must have heard me, as she smirks. "And _that's_ why we're always slightly ahead in the Shares and economic markets than you other three; Lastation never budges on even the smallest detail."

Already tired of her self-praising, I squint at her. "Okay, so here's another question while we're on the topic of hair."

Her grandstanding halted, she blinks at me. "Uh… Go on?"

"What happens to your ribbons when you activate HDD? Don't you end up having straightish hair?"

She frowns. "I've never paid attention to that; do I?"

"Mm! It's a little fluffier, but it's straight and there aren't any ribbons. Ah, but your Ultradimension counterpart…," I start, but she coughs, clearly set on disregarding that topic. I don't really get _why_ she's not fond of talking about the Ultradimension, but whatever.

"I've never really paid it mind – I don't know where my ribbons go. Why, should I remove them for a little while?" she offers, and I gasp, which seems to startle her. "W-what?"

Focusing on her closely for a moment, I narrow my eyes. "Ya' might look even nicer without those ribbons."

 _Fluuuuush_ goes the tsun, her face heating up as she stammers incoherently. While waiting for her to cool down, I slide my hand up along her hair and tug at the ribbon, undoing it and then moving my arm to get the other, removing them simultaneously… and then _floof._ The hair cascades down, dragging slightly against the grass as one of the tails collapses, the other sitting in my lap with my hand in it, still. Ah, right, her hands are still in my scalp, too.

She freezes for a moment, saying nothing, her eyes trained on me with curiosity. I cock my head, opting to pull myself a small distance away to see her a little better as I release the second tail, standing up to pace around her. "Hey, stand up too – your hair's dragging on the ground and that's pretty much a sin," I say, having earned a newfound respect for the silky-fluffy tails.

As she complies, I nearly trip – the sight of a tailless Noire actually quite shocking. The way it spreads out slightly, barely curling at all as it covers her back like a cape – akin to what she looks like in her CPU form, really – is _really_ nice on the eyes. She suddenly looks more like a princess than a Goddess, and _that_ , my dear inner consciousness or whatever I should call you, is a sight to behold.

I whistle. "I'm _really_ likin' that change."

She shifts nervously. "A-are you being serious?"

Opting for a sound of affirmation, I incline my head as I stop behind her, extending my hands outward to start running through the shining night sky before me, dead set on keeping it clean and pristine. Giggling quietly, I make a personal note aloud.

"Long hair… might actually be a pretty nice thing. Whaddya' think, should I grow mine out?" I inquire, and Noire twists her neck slightly to eye me.

"…Maybe. You'd look a lot older and a lot more feminine, but… I'm not sure. I… I actually like how you look now," she mutters quietly, and I raise an eyebrow at this forward praise. She coughs, setting trembling eyes on me. "You're… still playing with my hair."

I scoff. "Yeah, so? I'm not done yet."

She turns her head away, sighing aloud as I beam in amusement, thoroughly enjoying myself.

"Hey, Noire," I say after a few moments of silence, decidedly invested. "Help me out with my hair later, and let's do this more often, okay?"

"…'Kay…"

* * *

 **A blushy tsun is not seen, but it is inferred.**

 **I had more ideas for this, though I might do those in a later variation to add some variety to the idea or spice it up. Thoughts on that? Is it alright to re-use the same premise with different outcomes and plots each time? Been trying to avoid it, but there's more ideas popping up with the same kind of flow as time goes on. [Brief afterthought:] To add onto this - I never re-use or just change up an already written story - it's always fresh, so that _really_ _shouldn't_ cause too much grief. I'll probably do it.**

 **Anyway. This was fun and I'm glad I saw it done - I'll leave it and this little blip down here be for now while I go get ready for that long drive and appointment. I'll be back in around ~eightish hours to plausibly check on things or start on the next thing. Not sure what yet, though Scientific Curiosity might just have to be Approved. We'll see; I don't want to hedge FFN's M/MA rule too much.**

 **But, I hope you all have a good day and I'll see you again! :)**

Tainted out!~


	37. Shot 37! Words

**Hello, hello. This' just something brief with a double intention - you can listen to my personal rambling at the bottom; not too much to say here since I jotted this out just now because I could.**

 **Onward!**

* * *

"You're right! Ohhh, Lady Neptune really does look her best when she's next to Lady Noire…! What a beautiful pair!"

While I'd not paid it much attention at the time, these words float around in my head quite a lot nowadays; a plaguing statement that I can't shake, much like the feeling that someone's been following me – but that's irrelevant to this, I think. Actually, yeah, I'm sure – it's not Neptune following me; _that's_ a fact.

Pacing along the halls of Planeptune, I find myself with too much time on my hands before a public appearance tour of sorts to assuage tensions and fears after the issues with that entire other dimensional ordeal, and Gamindustri being nearly destroyed _yet again_ , and everything that occurred in the interim. I must admit, it's been hectic – as hectic as always, so the lull is nice, but whenever these come, I find my mind traveling to places I can't ignore, and _that's_ frustrating.

Sighing, I cross my arms and tap my foot against the floor impatiently. Gazing out of one of the windows, I'm actually simply waiting on Neptune herself to show up so that we can set out – Blanc and Vert are currently touring one of the other cities, so it's just us two. Our sisters are keeping close tabs on things in each city, so I'm not too concerned about strife or conflict this time around, though I've also asked Lastation to remain on high alert just in case – one can never be too careful, now can they?

I wonder if that statement's true; I've never really paid it any attention until now… _Groan._ I'm getting distracted again. I ought to be reviewing our destinations, preparing for possible problems, and enacting defenses to them, or possibly working on the next schedule for advancement for Lastation, or see if Planeptune needs some help with organization and some brief 'advisement' again on what they ought to do to remain up to date. _No, it's not cheating_ , I'm merely looking out for the closest nation to prevent dissent from sprouting up. That's all!

…She always looks so perky around me, but could she _not_ do that when I'm not around? I've never seen it… but then again, that'd make sense. I frown, and kick myself inwardly – I won't apparently be allowed to rest until I prove whether or not this proclamation is true or false. Clicking my tongue, I pivot on my heel and proceed down to the Goddess' office – a place I won't place Neptune's name onto, since she _never_ uses it anyway. I think it's more for Nepgear or for show, more than anything.

 _Click, click, click._

Planeptune's color scheme is so damn bright and cheery, I'd find it hard to believe she isn't just a gigantic nitwit _all_ the time.

 _Step, step, step._

It's probably very minute of a change, if anything. Akin to spotting whether Uni and I have slept or not, yet. A microscopic detail.

 _Tick, tick, tick._

It's not _that_ important. I doubt I'd even have to ask; Nepgear's just going to state that it's a baseless rumor started by Neptune's fan-club's Vice Prez, or something. Me knowing exactly who might spread those rumors is coincidence, I tell myself.

Stopping at the door to the office, I can hear some frantic writing emanating from within. Placing my palm to the door, I knock with my spare hand. "Come in." Nodding to myself that this will be a brief and instantaneous exchange, I press forth and open the door…

"Nepgear, is Neptune more energetic when I'm around, or is that rumor false?" _Damn it._ Mouth moving on its own, before I can prepare a proper exchange.

She lifts her head up, her eyes blinking rapidly as she digests this inquiry, her expression rightly bewildered. I frown, about to apologize and backpedal in an attempt to salvage things, but, "U-uhm… If you would not mind, please repeat the question, Miss Noire?"

I smile awkwardly, nodding, shutting the door behind me. "I won't disrupt you for long, and I apologize for the intrusion, but a strange rumor has been floating around recently. Supposedly, Neptune seems… different when I am nearby, and I want to quell the rumor before it spreads – but I'd like to ascertain where it might stem from." _Nailed it._ I think.

Her eyes widen as she sets down her pen, gently knocking a balled hand against her open palm. "Oh! You mean how Big Sister glows when you're together?"

 _Blink, blink, blinkblinkblink._ "T… There's validity to that claim?" I ask, somewhat in disbelief. Well, that answer wasn't anticipated.

Nepgear emits a sound of affirmation. "Big Sister always seems happiest when she can be around you; it's not the most noticeable change, but all of us in Planeptune are aware of it. Ah, it also ties in to why we know where she goes when she leaves the city," she explains, beaming warmly.

Concentrating on maintaining a neutral expression as best I can – and likely failing, but I'm going to put more faith in my deadpan than that – I nod slowly, massaging my arms with my fingers while they're crossed. "I… see. So then, when she's shirking her work, it's not Leanbox or Lowee that she goes to?"

She pauses, pursing her lips as she tilts her head, tapping her chin in thought. "Um… in the last fourteen trips since the start of the month, one has been to a place besides your Basilicom, and that was to a plain outside of Planeptune to rest in."

Narrowing my eyes, I start to question the validity of that 'Neptune's not the one following me' statement from earlier. I was sure it was _someone else_ , but… "I see… Well, knowing helps – though I'm… er… unsure how to handle it."

Nepgear shakes her head, her expression filled with more warmth than five layers of blankets. Goddess, she's just too darn _huggable_. Ah, restrain yourself, restrain yourself; I don't want to be labeled the next Vert, especially when I have Uni. I should praise her later. "Pardon my request, but I would ask that you don't address it, Miss Noire. Big Sister seems to be deadset on it, and she looks so happy, so…"

Pursing my lips, I sigh, raising a hand to wave at her. "Ah, fine. I'll leave it be, I guess…" Coughing, I nod to Nepgear. "But, thank you for the quick response, Nepgear. I'm going to return to the main hall and wait for Neptune so that we can see this tour done with. Keep up the good work, alright?"

"Yes! Good luck, Miss Noire!" she chirps as I turn on my heel, departing to return to the main room, my mind suddenly a little more chaotic.

* * *

I wonder… if Miss Noire knows that her face betrays her thoughts and actions? Ah, but what a warm smile! Maybe I did the right thing…?

I glance down to the little phone sitting in my lap, Uni's face still in disbelief. O-oops, did I leave the microphone on?

…Well, I can't do anything about it now. Goodness, these sisters are so similar.

* * *

Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I sigh as I usher away all of the unnecessary thoughts bombarding me at this new revelation. As if my mind wasn't chaotic enough, then?

Ahead, I spot Neptune lounging lazily as she kicks her feet into the air while sitting on one of the couches located in the main entryway. Her face is a little bored, her posture slackened a tiny bit, her mind obviously elsewhere. Okay, notes taken; let's see…

"Ah, Neptune," I call out to her as I approach, her face suddenly lighting up like fireworks as her head immediately jerks toward me. She hops up, beaming, as she dashes over to me.

"Heya', Noire! Where were ya'?" she inquires, tilting her head to peer behind me. "Didja' get lost or somethin'?"

I smirk, shaking my head. "I'd never get lost when your Basilicom is _this_ straightforward," I remark, studying her. Nepgear is… right, actually. Now that I'm paying it heed, her posture and her entire _being_ is emanating just a tiny bit more enthusiasm, and it's not just because she has someone to pester. Feeling a small amount of warmth dust my cheeks, I cough. "Are you ready to start the tour?"

She cocks her head curiously, nodding, "Yeah! But, are ya' alright? You're lookin' a little off, and you're blushing a little. What, dazzled by my charm~?"

Rolling my eyes, I wave her off. "I'm… perfectly fine. I might never have been better, actually," I mutter the last bit as quietly as I can, watching her as she grabs my hand, grinning.

"Well, if ya' say so. Y'wanna' go play something after this?" she asks, and I smile softly.

"…Yeah, I'll take you up on that."

* * *

 **So, I woke up and I'm a bit _beyond_ crushingly depressed - just gotta' be one of those days, I guess? Regardless, decided to spit this out to try and alleviate some of that, and it worked to a certain extent, so I'm a bit better now. I'll probably see more posted later today. That's about what this mostly stands as; letting you know I'm alive and still working on more updates, and keeping my own spirits up so that I don't become, as some friends took to affectionately calling it, a depresso espresso. Adorable name, terrible meaning, really.**

 **Work's still going into part two of Scientific Curiosity - it's going to be a tad longer and wrap some things up, so it's dragging a little more as I'm putting considerably more effort into it than some of my other stuff, such as this one was mostly just fluffiness for the sake of it. It's not gonna' be a _huge_ story or anything like that, but it'll be a bit on the longer side. Might do more with this one at a later date and just slap an update on it instead of adding a second shot with more fluff, but who knows?**

 **Anyway. Lettin' you all know I'm alive and still gonna' be spitting more stuff out. Also begrudgingly waiting on whoever has it to get their stuff together and deliver me my LE of 4GO. 10 days late as of now, IFI _and_ the USPS are looking into it on my behalf. **_Grumble, grumble, grumble._

Ah, and on a side-note; finally created a Patr and subscribed to Ge-B, so if you see more gushing or a sudden burst, credit it to that. Been contemplating which Nep artists to actively stalk and throw money at being able to stalk even more/commission work out of, decided to start there. Feels good, feels like an okay use of money. This series soothes my depression, so it'll be money well-spent, yeah?

Anyway, rambled enough. Just a bad day, I s'pose.

Tainted out.~


	38. Shot 38! Those Moments

**Hello, hello! I'm around again; the absence'll be described at the bottom. Don't count me out just yet! ^_^**

 **This' just something that came to mind and I wanted to write; it started yesterday while I was in a far more depressive mood and then continued today after I'm feeling a _just a tiny tad obviously_ brighter. Had the same intended end goal, so it works out. However, if I'm being honest, this has like, three or four versions of how it'd start and how it'd play out and whatnot, so I might re-use the premise at some point. Don't get upset, though!**

 **Anyway, enough of that. Onward!**

* * *

Sitting inside the empty room, the sole sound emanating from the pen clicking ceaselessly at documents unending, the shimmer of morning light only thus beginning to stream through the windows; this is when _it_ truly begins to settle in.

It comes in a snowball effect, really; a slow buildup, over time, swelling and growing much like a tumor or something akin to a black hole, devouring everything else as it nurtures into an ever-raging flame. Whether I could contain it or not doesn't matter; that would require acknowledging it, admitting it, coming to terms with it - a condition I could never do, as I can barely anticipate its arrival as it is.

...No, that's a lie, if I'm going to be honest. Yes, _honest_ , a word that truly only means itself in entirety if it resides within my mind and not my mouth, and even then it is somewhat muffled under countless self-assurances and stubborn pride. If I am to be frank, to be true, then, I am hesitant to act upon it. To do so… as I said, would be affirming _weakness_ , that I am not as stalwart and as sturdy as I portray. That I am not perfect before my people. That I am not tireless.

This cannot do. This diminishes the void a minute amount as my temper and resentment flares ever so slightly. However, this dissipates as quickly as it arrives - the taint has remained too long once more to truly ward off.

I squint into the corners of the room, and then to the ajar door leading into the hall; not for any particular reason outside of an attempt to clear my mind. It does not, actually, help.

Truthfully, I can at least state it to myself, and then just deny it later - it's unhealthy. _This_ is unhealthy. I gaze down at the stacks of papers, and then over to the clock, recalling this being the second or third full week in a row; another round of seclusion, of isolation, of _progress_. At a cost.

How often do I do this, I sometimes wonder? I've lost track over the years, over the decades - it's routine; a habit unbreakable, forged out of what first consisted of necessity, and later… to keep my mind off things, possibly.

No, I've never melded well with people; I'm aware of this. _Starkly_ aware. I make my attempts, I mingle where able, I flounder often, yet I rarely make headway. I don't escape, I don't truly _succeed_ ; I achieve status quo, and if I were to compare that status quo to what is actually required, it would be far below the bar. And that is _far_ from acceptable enough, really.

Just _once_ , I'd wish things would work better than they do - that people can see beyond the front, to understand where I stand and that I could use the company. _Someone_ , at the very least. I'm not picky.

But, I suppose I'd never find that without vocalizing, now would I? I laugh bitterly, quietly, barely audibly in the silent office, at a desk that constitutes my current world, in a nation dependent on my durability, my strength, my will.

At least, I'd suppose, I've taken on more than enough to yield Uni a life consisting of more time spent outside than inside these walls; a fact that I will take pride in, consoling me mildly.

Lips curving upward, albeit only slightly, I take a breath and release the pen, listening to it clatter down, rolling slightly onto the current sheet. Perhaps I ought to take a moment and scrounge for a snack, or something - it might be a good break, especially if it helps keep me distracted.

Well, _partially_ distracted. The self-induced isolation lingers, being a constant poison seeping in, but I suppose it has dulled down enough to where I can work on other things. Thanks, Uni.

Rising from my chair, I raise my arms overhead and stretch, though  
it really isn't quite necessary. I don't even really feel the fatigue of working this long, either; Vert may say there are strategies to binging many days in a row for games, but when you immerse yourself in your work and run from your mind, I don't see a need for energy drinks or anything else. Just force of will and determination, and losing track of everything else… though, maybe that's not something I ought to be taking pride in. Especially looking at the introspective result rather than the external achievements of it.

Shrugging to myself, I set these musings aside as I set forth down through the halls, my heels click-clacking against the wooden boards beneath. I'm not sure _why_ I found pleasure in changing from the typical various kinds of stone material, but I find wood far cozier and far more… elegant? Whenever the time comes for me to attempt to reintegrate with the others, I ought to discuss the pros and cons with either Vert or Blanc… if I remember. There are still fifty-something forms regarding new procedures, staff-changes, software-updates, taxation, legal matters, and so on and so forth to wade through, so I'll likely be better off writing that conversational topic down before I forget.

...It's not that important, really. It'd be a poor conversational piece, and it'd only result in being disregarded. Sighing, I set aside that idea shortly as my mind quickly reprimands me for it, my attention instead turning to the walls. I'm mostly on auto-pilot as I've designed and navigated this place from the ground up, so I've instead got time to admire the decorations and wonder what I could replace them with.

Currently? Nothing too extravagant - paintings from various Lastation artists as gifts for making their lives better from various reforms over the years. They're all pretty and serve as a good reminder as to why I work hard, though I _wish_ that were the only reason.

My mind shifts to _her_ of all people, warmth slightly budding within me as that wide, bright, goofy grin spreads across my thoughts. Exhaling somewhat sadly, it occurs to me that she hasn't come in quite some time; the monotony-breaker, the habit-disrupter, the light in the dark - I can't always expect her to be around, though… I'd of preferred it if she were. Too often do things come up, and like the wind, she's gone, off on another self-induced or spontaneously-wrought adventure of varied proportions, to return with something or some _one_ to introduce to the rest of us.

It's not as though I'm starry-eyed over something _special_ , but, if it really boils down to it, if one were to _really_ investigate the matter or not, they'd find that, out of everyone, _she_ is my closest friend; the _one_ I'd truly apply that title to.

Sure, I'm on good terms with Blanc, with Vert, with the others - but, do I trust them implicitly, can I depend on them without outside intervention, and _should_ I expect them to always be there? My answer has always, ultimately, wound up as a resounding ' _No.'_

We are all 'friends,' yes, but we're mostly bound by her sticky, unavoidable, unweathering glue. That's a weird sentence, but whatever.

And that's _probably_ where this latest binge stems from, isn't it? When did I last see her…? I believe it to be around the same time. Hah, how silly; I'd better never mention that one, or I'll never live it down. To be added onto the ongoing list of reasons I'm a loner, to be heckled for it… I'd swear she's an airhead if I didn't know her better.

Having arrived at my destination, I proceed to the pantry and scarf some boxes of snacks from the shelves, opting for a simple and swift solution to my sudden urge for munchies. Pivoting on my heel, I then set off again for one of the various rest areas within the building. Windows would be preferable, so… I think I'll head to a front-facing one. Nodding to myself, boxes in arms, I continue forward.

It sometimes dances within the confines of my innermost concerns and worries - the sense that perhaps my view of our relationship is skewed, that it isn't as deep a mutual friendship as I believe it to be. That I'm misguided, or that I'm delusional - possibilities aplenty, though ones that I'd prefer to not be spot-on.

...Yeah, it'd be appreciated if at some point to be clarified, though the odds of that are abysmally low. Another begrudging snort of negative amusement as the darkness clamps down harder yet. Damn it, thank you, thoughts.

Arriving at the plushy square reserved for the staff's momentary breaks and respites, I set the boxes down on the cushion and then collapse into it beside them, the contents rattling a little at the impact. Releasing a tired breath, I reach up mindlessly and undo my ribbons, letting my hair flow down along my shoulders in a giant blanket of sorts, rolling said shoulders in an attempt to relax.

Eyes cast sideways, I grab one of the boxes and open it, popping some animal crackers into my mouth, crunching with mild satisfaction. They aren't exactly the daintiest or most extravagant thing, but when Uni, the staff or I don't have the gumption, they do wonderfully. The sugary sweetness of it spreads over my tongue as I scan my surroundings boredly. I don't really expect to find anything in this act, but I feel it necessary - one can never be too careful, considering how chaotic our world can sometimes be.

World? Omnidimension, really, but that doesn't sound as eloquent. Maybe I ought to become a writer and put the fear of the Goddess into Blanc; it'd be comical enough, and I'd have another new hobby.

...No, that'd be inconsiderate. Set aside that idea. That's _her_ hobby.

Rolling my head back onto the cushion behind me, I gaze up at the ceiling for a few moments. The emptiness is really beginning to set in, now, and so is the bitterness. Why should I care what the others think or feel when it's as if I barely exist until they need something? Really.

 _Step, step._

Eyes instinctively flicking toward the hall, I frown with dismay. _Seriously? I was joking about the chaotic appearance of some new threat. Go away._

This doesn't stop the approach, though if I listen with more focus - and oh, I _do_ \- I note that the steps are mildly haphazard. Clumsy, but determined; confident, yet also careful. They're familiar. I know them. I shift upward in my seat slightly, feeling a sudden anxiety grip me - am I delusional? Should I doubt this familiarity and materialize my weapon?

From the shadows cast of the early morning, lavender comes into view - fluffy, messy, spiky lavender, with purplish eyes sparkling in the darkness, their attention immediately shifting to me, her eyebrows knitting upward with surprise. Her outfit is the same as always, being her trademark baggy hoodie, short shorts hidden beneath, and all of her accessories that follow.

Summoned from my thoughts, convenient timing, or something else? I pinch a thigh, wondering if I've already fallen asleep, but the minor sting heralds that I am indeed still awake.

We say nothing for a few minutes as she stands there, a confused look upon her face. I frown, shaking my head, "Isn't it somewhere around six?"

 _Blink, blink._ She shrugs, "Does it matter?" I look away, shaking my head as I hear her trot over to me, plopping down beside the boxes and I. "I'd of expected to find ya' in your office. This is new."

Turning my head forward so I can watch her from the corner of my eye, I reply flatly, "Sometimes even I decide to take breaks, you know."

She laughs quietly, grabbing the other box - some sort of pastries - as she pries it open, eyeing me with what I understand to be concern. " _That's_ when there's definitely something wrong."

Blinking, I furrow my brow. "What's that mean?" Anger begins to well. Am I expected to hate taking reprieves from work, or something? I study her, noting nothing out of the ordinary.

She pauses for a moment, grimacing. "Just means I'm a little late."

"...Eh?"

Munching on some chocolate-flavored pastry, she shifts her head to focus on me directly, sending a mild sense of embarrassment through me. Her eyes are focused, serious, though this is lost with the snack dangling from her mouth like toast. She slides a little closer, cocking her head.

The closeness gets to me. "Y-you're acting a bit weird."

Her expression remains solemn, and we spend the minutes in silence as she simply just eats her snack while watching me with full attention. It's only after she finishes it that she responds, "You never let your hair down."

 _Blink, blink._ I think a wave of dumbfounded surprise comes to me as I squint at her, wondering. "...Is that what the silence was about?"

A shrug. "I don't see ya' like that, like at all, so I had to really get a good look at ya'. Anyway," she suddenly stops, grabbing my hand. "It's time for you to take a break, Workaholic Heart. You've spent waayyyy too much time cooped up in here, so lil' old me and you are gonna' go and do something."

Bewildered, I stare at her. "...Uh?"

She smiles softly, the gesture being even warmer than it felt in my mind - my counters melting away at once. "Stuff can wait, I'm not gonna'. C'mon, we have places to go and stuff to see."

"...Hey, wait…"

A chuckle. "Nope! That word's not in my vocabulary, ya' see. Now, we set off!"

Before I can get a word in edgewise, she tugs me from the couch, letting the boxes clatter to the floor as she pulls me along.

Where are we going? Should I be irritated? Why is she doing this? What's going on? Is this really her? Why am I not fighting this? Shouldn't I be angry? Just, what?

However, one look at that unwaveringly bright face marching ever forward, as sure and as determined as the wind, and I can't find anything to object about. Gone are the moments of trepidation, of isolation, of all things negativity.

Here, instead, is Neptune… as always.

Why did I ever even doubt otherwise?

* * *

 **Unsure if it emulated well or not, but the last bit was, to an extent, to show that in one fell swoop, it all evaporates. All of it, just by one person's presence.**

 **It's mostly friendshippy, but it could be more. Heck, I don't mind either way. I just feel better having written something again. You decide how to interpret it.**

 **Onto mild summary updates on stuff:  
-**I've been down with medical stuff after a spinal tap and some other stuff, so I was in considerably heightened pain, unable to sit up, and even think beyond the pain, so there's that. On that note, though, hopefully we're one step closer to solving the medical mystery behind it, so I guess it checks out. **Never doing it again.**  
-As a result of the above, my mood took a dive more than usual, so here we are. Expect as I'm getting back into it that more stuff'll be posted considering I didn't want to even stop originally, but life works in mysterious ways, I guess?  
-I've been beta-testing 4GO for Steam. Been good. Hoping I'm helping contribute after spotting weird bugs, but who knows?  
-Depression can really go shove it. Seriously.  
And that's about it, in a quick sum-up.

 **I'm gonna' go ahead and leave things as they are here. I've said enough, I think. I hope you all enjoyed it, I'll see about something else later. And some updates on Lastation's duo at some point, and something new, but _shrug._**

 _Quick (later) note: I've gone ahead and tried to fix the format in this as copying it from a Google Doc as I'd been sharing with a friend to then a Word document as I always do and then onto FFN really messed up the lines to some degree. Mild format stuff or typos are now apologized as I cannot find anything out of the ordinary after having edited it, but I might miss things._

 **Tainted out.~**


	39. Shot 39! Persistence

**I actually managed to finish this before I went to bed tonight. Wow, two adequately-sized ones in one day. Now _that's_ what I call progress.**

 **I feel pretty good about this one. It's super fluffy, and it's just what it is. Hope you enjoy it.**

 **Onward!**

* * *

"..."

"..."

"...Rrm."

"...Hmmm?"

"Uh… I have to ask…"

"Yeeees?"

Flicking my eyes upward, I exhale slowly so as to compose myself as best I can, in the most valiant attempt to seem monotone I've ever put forth, before saying, "...Why are you sitting there?"

Before me sits Neptune - no, not the CPU, but her human counterpart; a curious, friendly, and possibly annoyingly pushy girl that embodies Neptune's most stalwart of quirks, but of years matured. She rests upon an elbow, her head tilted slightly, her eyes half-lidded, her lips curved upward, her body… _Ahem,_ partially on the desk. Radiating an aura of happy amusement, she seems quite comfortable and quite at home, from what I can tell.

The problem… _is why is it at my office desk, while I'm working?_

Eyes opening, she pouts softly. "Because I can?" she responds as if it were obvious, causing an eye of mine to twitch. Yes, Neptune's _most deeply-rooted_ quirks, the ones that can oftentimes _really_ irritate me to no end. Having to treasure-hunt for an answer to some of their antics is _not_ what I'd call the most fun of pastimes. But… I guess I have to play along if I want to get to the bottom of this.

 _Sigh._

"...Yes, but _what_ makes you want to sit there?" I inquire, thinking of better ways to reword the sentence, already preparing…

"Because I want to, silly~," she replies, humming as she eyes over my papers upside down. I wonder if she can even really read them like that. Wait, no, that's not the important part.

"What makes you _want_ to? Surely you have other things you might want to do than sit and watch me do paperwork," I explain, figuring possibly some detailing might help quicken this back-and-forth.

"Hmmm…," she raises a finger to her chin, her eyes swishing from one side of the room to the other. "Well… I find sitting here fun, maybe?" she answers, though I cock my head. She grins gently, shrugging. "I have my reasons~!"

Narrowing my eyes on her, I sigh. "And they would be?"

"Mm… does it matter?"

Setting my hand that doesn't hold my pen firmly on some open space of the desk, I nod. "It _does_ , as you're acting as a distraction to my work."

She chuckles, waving a hand at me nonchalantly. "Just pretend I'm not here, silly!"

"I _can't._ I've tried."

"Hummm… that sounds like a problem. But, it isn't mine, so~…?"

Pursing my lips together, I take a moment for a deep breath, internally willing myself to cool off and recompose. Getting angry does not solve anything, Noire - getting upset only entices her, and getting violent is not an optimal solution due to how many important papers are stacked up here. Yes, cool down, cool down; it's not worth your frustration, it's just a Neptune being a Neptune. She will get bored sooner rather than later, and then she will depart, and you will be able to concentrate. Good, good…

"Hey, y'wanna' go eat something?" she asks.

"I'm. _Busy._ "

"You can be busy later! Girls gotta' eat, y'know." Rising to her feet, she paces around the desk and seizes my arm, smiling much like a cat might. "If you don't come along, I'll force ya'~!"

Pausing for a moment in hesitation, I recognize and acknowledge those words well and true - when either Neptune states they are going to use 'force' if necessary, it's a legitimate threat that will oftentimes end poorly and embarrassingly for all parties involved. Source, me, _every single time_ I've refused. The human Neptune is a bit more clever, where the other Neptune is more forward; I truly just can't win.

"...This better be quick," I state with apprehension, figuring it will end that way no matter _how_ I respond. This girl made a point of showing up at my Basilicom, before me, refusing to budge on leaving - clear signs of wanting something, of desiring something from me, though she won't broach the topic nor will she give me leads to go off of. In fact, I'm not quite sure why this began; I'd of expected her to be more interested in chasing new dimensions or exploring Gamindustri or something thrill-seeking instead of spending the last few days glued to me. "Thinking of it, why aren't you pestering the other Goddesses?"

She cocks her head, unyielding in holding my arm hostage as I rise from the seat. "Hmmm… isn't that an obvious question?" she asks, prompting me to shake my head. "Ya' don't understand? Hmmm~... well, I suppose I can mention that that little brown-haired girl gets _wayyy_ too angry too often, and the blonde one is too invested in games and _other hobbies_ that I don't want to rub off on me. Little me's fun, but she's got her own groove going on, so there's some rationale for ya', I guess?"

Pursing my lips, I nod slowly. She's rather spot on, I'd suppose, though I'm not going to state that outright. Using my spare hand to rub my temples, I sigh. "I'll leave that be for now. Lead the way, then, and let me go already."

"Fine, fine!" she chirps, tugging me along without adhering to the latter bit of the sentence. Rolling my eyes, I ward off the urge to flush under her antics, already somewhat adjusted from previous times like these.

"Where are we going?" I inquire, figuring it's worth asking.

"Not sure, but we'll find out when we get there!"

"...That doesn't really fill me with confidence. In fact, I'm not impressed. You had nothing in mind?" I ask incredulously, somewhat disbelieving. Is her head mushy? Should I start wondering whether she's even fully cognisant? "Are you… feeling alright?"

Her eyes flick back to me curiously. "Hmmm? Yup! Why'd you ask?" she inquires as she leads me through the Basilicom - fortunately out of the eyes of my staff and anyone else - toward the entrance.

"No particular reason; just making sure as you're seeming a little more spontaneous than usual," I explain. "I'd prefer not to contribute to the delirium of another, is all."

"Ohhh~? So you were _worried_ about me, huh?" she starts up, and I roll my eyes, turning my head away as she whistles. "Awwwh, little Noire's worried for lil' old me. That's so adorable~!" she continues, and I sigh. "But, don't trouble your pretty little self, I'm feeling just fine! Maybe even a little better with this newfound knowledge~."

"I'm _so_ done with you," I mutter, willing away the redness beginning to betray my face. It won't budge, but it's a valiant effort nonetheless. Better to change topics before she notices… "Have you figured out where we're going yet?"

"Somewhere to eat, of course!"

" _Specifics, Neptune. Specifics._ "

"Mm… whatever restaurant I decide looks nice?"

"A _restaurant?_ I'm not sure I look…"

"Ah-ah-ah, none of that. Y'look nice, so I'm gonna' parade you around with me~!"

"...I'd rather _not_ be seen with someone clinging to me."

"Too late!"

"Kill me," I mutter in resignation as we make it to the entrance and immediately depart past it, the staff eyeing me in bewilderment and - mildly jealous - sympathy or pity. I can't tell which one, but it's irksome nonetheless.

For a Goddess, her image before her people really does matter - it's a heavy reflection on her, and that which she portrays, the people emulate. This fact runs through my mind as I'm to be seen by my populace with a womanly, slightly scantily-clad, flirtatious dolt clinging to my arm, making a fuss while getting under my skin.

 _I can't afford for that._

"Neptune, let me go," I state in a monotone voice, eyeing her seriously.

"Mmm… nope!"

"I'm _telling_ you. Let me go," I reiterate, a sense of anger welling up inside my chest. I'm _not_ suffering those rumors - especially with _this_ Neptune of all people. I already have plenty to deal with that fan-club of hers spreading… _things_ about us. Now with the second one? No way.

"I refuse!"

" _Now,_ " the commanded word rings, drawing some attention to us. Ah, hell, that's not what I was intending. Need to withdraw from this situation as quickly as possible.

Her focus swivels to me, a determined and unyielding expression on her face. "Don't wanna'. That's that."

"Why are you so damn set on clinging to me?" I continue, dumbfounded. "What could _possibly_ drive you to be so damn persistent?" What is her problem? What does she get out of this? Humiliation? She's messing with the wrong Goddess…

"I'm making sure you come with me and don't just leave to go back to your work. I'm _pretty_ confident that you'd decide 'Work is more important' and just go right back to it if I don't keep an eye on you. I'm not budging," she states, her eyebrows narrowing. "You don't get out enough and I'm not gonna' let you stay cooped up in there. You can do that later."

What? She's saying I'd…? "I'm not just going to leave; I already agreed to come with you, for Goddess' sake."

She shakes her head. "I've seen you say that before, and lo and behold, you've done _just_ that. Remember a couple days ago?"

Racking my brain, I tilt my head. "...No? I was setting something into place. What are you talking about?"

She nods. "Ex _actly._ You'd agreed to take a break and do something leisurely, and told me that you'd come join me after you got ready. Never happened, I came in later and found ya' back at your desk, still working. Ring a bell, now?"

Blinking, I freeze. Actually… I think I _did_ do something like that. I'd needed to get that list of reforms set in motion by the end of the day, but this Neptune had been pushing me to call it quits for the time being… Ah, crap, I forgot that I _agreed._

"...And now you remember," she comments, lowering her eyebrows flatly. "See?"

"...I'm… sorry, about that. I'd forgotten - it was something time sensitive, so…"

"It's fine - you're just taking that break now. For the entire day."

"...For the entire day?! I have to still…"

" _Forgot._ "

"Hrk… f-fine. You win. Will that make up for it?" I ask tiredly, feeling a mixture of guilt and fatigue. This woman…

 _Head tilt._ "Mm… maybe? We'll see. Now, be a good girl and accompany me~," she commands, giggling softly.

It occurs to me that, at that very moment, I doubt she even truly cared; she's a clever girl and she seems to keep tabs on what I'm working on, since she's constantly lurking around me as it is. She likely knew the importance of what I'd been working on. She just used that entire incident as an excuse to force me into complying.

I eye her for a few minutes, contemplating what to say, though I decide to not try to argue the validity of her guilt-tripping me any further, and instead… "But do you have to _cling_ to me?"

She smirks. "You can humour me. It's not like it'll kill ya', right? I don't look _that_ bad, do I?"

"N-no, that's not what I mean, you're…!" I trail off, once again noting that I've been swept into her pace. _Goddess. Damn. It._ "Uuugh… whatever, I… I don't _care_ anymore…"

"That's good! Now c'mere, closer, closer~!" she urges, pulling me up to walk beside her while squishing against my arm and side. "It's not weird because we're girls, y'know~."

"That… doesn't help…," I weakly counter, feeling myself flush fully and truly. Goddess, let this be a short walk…

We continue forward in momentary silence, this Neptune humming quite contentedly while her head jerks back and forth in search of something to catch her eye. Meanwhile, I continue beside her, keeping my head pointed toward the ground as I do my best to ignore my citizens' comments as we pass them by.

"Isn't that Lady Noire? Who's that with her?"

"Is that Lady Neptune?! She's so…"

"Mom! Those girls are hugging!"

"Goddess, they're cute."

"Lady Noire's cheating on Lady Neptune! The indignity!"

"Should… we say something?"

"Maybe they're cosplayers? She looks _just_ like the Lady, though…"

"...Relationships between girls are nice…"

It doesn't work. It _doesn't. Work._

Unable to do anything but walk at her side, I distract myself by turning my attention onto her, observing. She's really Neptune - the slightly kid-like intrigue with everything, the constant energy bursting forth, the sparkling eyes keeping tabs on everything like a cat… I hadn't really noticed it to such a degree, but they're _so_ much alike that it's scary.

Sure, I've met my doppelganger from the Ultradimension, but we have our differences, and one can tell from a glance that there is also a wide gap in our experiences and knowledge. She's years behind, after all. While this also applies to the Neptunes, it's hard to really see it as simply as with the other two and myself. They're both boundless; even without the powers of a Goddess, without the responsibility of countless citizens, she's _still Neptune._

"...Hm? You're staring, y'know," she remarks, her attention turned to me. I blink, shaking my head as I draw back from my thoughts. "Smitten with me~?"

Exhaling in disinterest, I look away. "Sure. Whatever you say. Have you found something yet?"

"...Oh?" she says quietly, though I'm not sure why. "Mm, not yet, though I might just settle for one of those corner ones. What do those usually sell? Got any recommendations for a starry-eyed tourist?"

"...Can you even call yourself a tourist? You bum at our Basilicom often enough to where you might as well be a resident now," I mumble, thinking about places I've gone with Uni. "Mmmm… if I recall, there's a place up ahead that has good drinks and decent food. It's not the fanciest of places, but the service is satisfactory and the owner is an alright person."

"Sounds like it'll work for me, if the illustrious Lady Black Heart endorses it as a worthwhile place," she chuckles as she says my title, peering about. "Is it that one, over there? With those little umbrella-covered tables?"

Turning my head to follow her eyes, I nod. "That's the one. It's got a lot of people at it today, which is somewhat interesting. I wonder why?" I ask myself, not really interested enough to investigate why…

"...It's Saturday, you know? It's the weekend, it's around noon, and it's a nice day. What more do ya' need for a good day for dates?" she answers bluntly. "It's a cute place, too. Looks like it'd be cozy to get all loveydovey under one of those umbrellas, too."

"...Hey, y-you're not…"

" _We're doing it._ "

"...I'd r…"

"C'mon, little Noire. Onward!" she exclaims, her pace suddenly picking up as we rapidly approach the establishment.

She's treating this like a date? She's joking about the intimate stuff, right? I'm just overthinking it. Yeah. Can't be anything else. I'm just fatigued and playing into another one of her schemes to embarrass me.

...It might not be terrible to… _No, no, no, that's not right, that's incorrect, that's not how it works, she's just trying to get into your head for the fun of it. Back it up._

...Okay, yeah, it's nothing. I'm just going to have to weather this like everything else. She's just being her usual pain in the rear self. Yeah.

"...For two?" the greeter asks. Ah, guess we arrived. He's a balding man, his eyes somewhat disinterested. Thankfully.

"Mhm! Outside, please," Neptune chirps, and the man nods, tapping away at a screen before him.

"Right, the table directly behind you to your left, then. A server will be with you shortly," he points out, gesturing. Shifting our attention toward the table he's pointing at, I discover relief at how it is mildly concealed as it's in the corner of the establishment, rather than in the direct line of sight of most of the people passing by.

"Awww. It's not center-stage. I guess that's fine," Neptune grumbles, eyeing me. "Shall we have you seated, my Lady~?"

"...Sure," I respond, attempting to tune her antics out. She draws a chair out for me, helping me sit down before taking a seat of her own. Watching her settle down, I find myself somewhat invested in soaking in her appearance.

She's really got to do something about her outfit. She takes good care of her fluffy lavender hair, and her skin seems well-managed and soft to the touch - ignoring any past contact, I swear - while her body is curvaceous in the right amounts but not being too obscene. Actually… is she bigger than I am? A huff emits itself from me, though I set aside this fact. If she's going to _have_ it, she ought to better conceal it or at least look like she cares more; the hoodies are cute, but they're nothing really special. I wonder what she'd look like in something more like a dress…?

 _Fluuuuush._

I didn't need those thoughts. Goddess, I'm a little self-conscious now.

"Hmm?" she starts, though I've fortunately already swatted myself from my thoughts due to discovering relief that Neptune doesn't genuinely look like Purple Heart at all times. "Wha…"

"Just thinking that we need to do something about your wardrobe."

"...Eh? Where'd that come from?"

"Just a passing thought. The hoodie might be functional for you, but it's a tad too…"

"...Are ya' checking me out? Perv~."

"And _that's_ why we need to update your outfits. Do you even…?" I stop myself from finishing my sentence, figuring that asking about whether or not she has pants on, or in fact has anything on under that hoodie, would draw far too much unwanted attention. Wait, why do I care if people are interested…? Ah, we'll chalk it up to worrying about my friends. Yeah, that's it.

"Eh?"

"Nothing. I'll ask later while we're clothes-shopping." Pausing as a waitress arrives to hand us menus and then pardons herself once more, I flip it open and browse over it, taking glances at Neptune. "Is there something on the menu you might have? And to drink?"

She studies it for a few moments, frowning. "Hmmm… so many choices! I think I might go with this fruity one," she says, pointing.

Wait a moment, that's an alcoholic drink. "You… realize that that's alcoholic, right?" I ask, though she nods, shrugging. "...If you say so, then be my guest. You're legal, right?"

"...You're _actually_ asking that?"

"...No, I'm sorry. That was a dumb question."

She chuckles. "But, yeah. I'll go with it! And for food… hmmm… maybe just a dessert~?"

Raising an eyebrow, I contemplate commenting… yeah, I have to. "You realize if you eat like your other self, you're _definitely_ going to see it go to your waistline, right? Humans gain weight much faster than Goddesses do."

A pause. "...Did you really have to point that out? Don't make a girl feel so self-conscious!" _The same should be said about you._ "But, it's fine, it's fine. I'll work it off just as quickly, and I'm not really hungry."

"...Then why are we out…"

"Lalalala. Can't hear you! Lalalala."

"...I _so_ want to hit you. But I won't, because I'm nice."

"Hm, hm, hmmmm! It's my natural charm, isn't it~?"

"Sure, sure. Whatever makes you feel warm and fuzzy."

" _You_ could make me feel warm and fuzzy, y'know~."

 _Cough, cough._ I glare at her, though she laughs and turns to look out at the street before I can get a word in. Sighing shakily, I roll my eyes, scanning over the items. Maybe an iced coffee? That doesn't sound too bad; or maybe an iced mocha. Something cool, but nothing too extravagant or out of the ordinary. I'm just not feeling like that today.

"Hey, Noire," she suddenly starts, and I flick my eyes up to her. "How often do ya' go out with people?"

"Hm?" I'm not sure where this is coming from, but whatever. "When people need something, or when everyone gets together, I guess? I tend to go out at least once a month or more if able with Uni, and I've had Vert over for tea before. Blanc sometimes comes to discuss Lastation-Lowee partnerships and we bake a few small snacks then. Neptune, er, the other Neptune arrives and raids my kitchen while hiding from Histoire from time to time. Does that about clear it up?"

"...Perfectly. So, like, never, huh?"

"...What's that supposed to mean?" I inquire, and she shrugs, smiling sadly.

"I'm just more serious about really having a good time out today, I guess?" I cock my head, somewhat perplexed by her explanation, trying to make sense of it. Does she feel I don't get out enough, still? I thought that that was a pretty satisfactory explanation of how my quiet months go, really. Maybe I missed something.

"I… suppose that's fine?" I respond, noting the waitress' approach. We quickly place our orders, and then Neptune also orders some brownie-sundae thing, and she sets off again. " _Really_ going to hit your waistline."

"Sh-sh-sh-sh-shhhhhh. No words, only sweets. Worry less about the small things."

"Don't come crying to me if you hit the scale and start freaking out."

"Who uses those anyway? If I think I look fine, I'm good."

"I admire your confidence. I really do, but there are many people crying out at you right now. Ah, such as that girl over there. Sorry! Ignore her, she's the carefree type," I quickly apologize to someone overhearing our conversation as Neptune pouts.

"I'm not _that_ weird…"

A small pang of guilt sets itself in my heart. "I-I, uh, didn't mean it like that. It's just easier explaining it like that, you… you know? S-so, um…"

Suddenly, a smirk. "You're so cute, Noire~," she states matter-of-factly, sticking out her tongue. "If _that's_ all it took to bring a girl down, I'd never leave the bedroom."

 _Why do I let this creature get to me so easily? She's not normal._

Silence begins to settle to a certain degree between us as the drinks soon arrive. Watching the waitress give Neptune hers, I frown. It's so colorful - was _that_ her reason for choosing it? I hope the alcohol content isn't that bad, for her sake.

Seeing her take a sip from it, she emits a sound of joyous satisfaction, accompanied with the blissful face and slightly frantic hand movement. Truthfully, the whole thing looks comical and slightly ridiculous. "Mmmmmm! So good! It's so fruity!"

Grinning softly at her, I eye my drink for a moment before commenting. "Not too overpowering? How about the alcohol mixed in?"

"Can't even taste it! So fruityy. Hey, try some before you drink that thing," she commands spontaneously, pushing the drink toward me while spinning the straw in my direction. "Go on!"

 _The straw…_ I shake my head vehemently. "N-no, I'm good, so…"

"Do it! Ya' have to!"

"It's not… it's not going to mix well with mine, so…" _Indirect…_

"Just a tiny sip, it won't be _that_ bad. C'mon now, pleaaaase?"

"B-but, it's… I mean, you just d-drank from that, didn't you?"

"Sooo? I'm not deathly ill or anything like that, what's the problem?"

"It's… It's sharing an… mmph?!" _Shove._ She pushes the straw into my mouth, narrowing her eyes in determination.

"There! Now take a sip."

Resignation. Embarrassment. Sipping gently from the straw, having already been forcefully committed, I quickly draw my head back, nodding. "Y-yeah, it's good, alright?"

She squints at me skeptically. "Didja' even bother tasting it? What's the point of drinking it if ya' don't pay attention to the flavor?"

Swallowing hard, I exhale. "I… I did, of course. S-stop doubting that. It was kind of sweet, but was… just a bit tangy." I don't really know whether it was or not, I couldn't taste it at all. I doubt I'd of been able to even with a larger amount of it.

"...Hmmm… I'll let you off the hook, then. But ya' see what I mean, right?" she continues, beaming, before beginning to suck on the straw again herself.

"...Y-yeah, it's really good," I manage out, eyeing the straw with disbelief. How is she just so carefree about that? I mean, it's… my mouth was just… Ugh. I give up.

Opting to begin savouring my mocha to get my mind off it, I find relief in how I _can_ taste this one, and it tastes rather creamy with a nice chocolate twinge to it. It's well-balanced, and nothing is too overpowering. Out of the corner of my eye, I become aware of her eyeing my drink, and quickly decide to down the entire thing before it, too, can become a victim of Neptune. Much to her dismay.

"H-hey! I wanted to give that a try, too!" she pipes up as I set the cup it arrived in back onto the table, grabbing a napkin to wipe my mouth, having had a few moments to calm myself back down.

"Order your own, then. I wasn't about to share."

"I shared mine!"

"Your loss," I counter, shrugging.

"You're so cruel! What did I ever do to you?!" she exclaims, drawing attention to us; once again, to my dismay.

" _I. Just. Drank. My. Mocha._ Order your own and stop making a fuss." The onlookers return to their own conversations, luckily, and I let loose a sigh of relief. Disaster averted.

She continues to pout at me, crossing her arms in a huff. "So rude."

"You have a dessert coming out anyway. Focus on that."

"It's not mocha-flavored, now is it?"

"Does it _really_ … scratch that, I'm not even going to bother. I'm not apologizing for it."

"Hmph."

Eventually, the sundae arrives, and Neptune seems to forget her previous displeasure as her eyes brighten at the sight of it. Honestly, it _does_ look pretty, and it's full of plenty of ice cream, brownie, little candy pieces, and other things, but just… Holy crap, I hope she's right about it not affecting her that much. Watching as she digs into it, she's mildly ravenous. She gushes about it for quite some time as the thing is devoured into nothingness, and thus, I discover that Neptunes can find something besides pudding just as sacred and delicious. I'll… keep it in mind, I guess.

After that, we continue to stay there for a handful of minutes while I wait for the waitress to come back and forth to pay. Neptune stares off into space in blissful contentment, leaving me to contemplate where to take her. Perhaps a department store? Or just someplace simple? Hm… somewhere for more casual clothing, probably with mobility in mind since she doesn't seem the type to wear constricting or restricting things.

Yeah, I have a store in mind. I should be able to help her find at least a few new outfits to use in that hoodie's stead. And pants, since no one has ever confirmed whether or not she, in fact, wears them, despite it being insisted that she does. Mysteries of the world, really.

I could use a couple new outfits too, really. Maybe some tees and shorts for private outings - this dress is comfortable, sure, but variety would be nice. Nodding to myself as the waitress bids us farewell one last time, I snap my fingers in front of her face to draw Neptune from her food coma.

"...Eh? What's up?" she mutters, blinking away the slightly hazy look in her eyes. It was actually kind of cute, but leaving her like that would hinder our new objective.

"Get up, we're heading to a store to get you something new to wear. Well, a lot of something, really," I explain, and she looks up at me as I stand with curiosity.

"You're dressing me up?"

"...Yes, I suppose you could say that. I'm giving you a much-needed update to your image besides 'that lazy girl in the frumpy hoodie.'"

"...I don't like the way ya' just said that…," she grumbles, but complies in getting up. Immediately, she latches onto my arm again, much to my unsurprised chagrin. "But! This apparently styleless beauty will enjoy letting you discover the truth, I suppose!"

"...And what truth is that?"

"If I'm in anything besides a hoodie, it's just plain dangerous~!"

"Why'd I even ask," I mutter, shaking my head. "Come on, let's get going to avoid wasting any further time."

"Why's it matter if we take our time? I already told you I had ya' for the whole day, after all. Or… is it _that…_ "

" _Absolutely not,_ " I immediately cut her off, unwilling to let her finish that statement. I don't need to be harassed straight away. In fact, I'd prefer it not at all, but I doubt she'd relent to that level. "I don't like wasting time. Nice and simple, isn't it?"

"...Boo. That's no fun," she remarks under her breath, but quickly returns her attention to me. "So what store? Is it anything special? Are ya' putting me in dresses?"

I snort, smirking. "I'm afraid not; your dreams of being a princess can wait." _Mainly because I don't think I can handle that reality._ "Instead, it's just somewhere simple that I tend to frequent; it's a little quaint and quiet, but it has good items and the prices are fair. I've picked up a few outfits from there before."

"Like? I barely ever see you in anything but that dress."

"...Well, it's not something I wear out constantly." Crap, I forgot that those outfits are my cosplay stuff. She doesn't know, right? "D-don't worry about it, though. I've just not had any personal time to wear anything I pick up, since this is my go-to formal outfit."

"Oooh? I see," she says, her attention piqued. "I wanna' see some of these outfits later, though~."

"I'll wear them out sometime, so…"

"I'll look before then, then!"

"No. No, you won't."

We go back and forth as we walk toward the store in question, her finally relenting as it comes into view; a fortunate turn of events I'm more than grateful for, though it's highly plausible she just agreed to have me let down my guard. I'm going to need to put _that_ room under lock and key later, first and foremost…

"Is that it?" she inquires, and I nod. "It's… so plain-looking. It's monotone'ish, like everything else here, but… it's a big cube, with like, nothing…"

"It's _quaint and nice_. Don't insult it," I cut in, eyeing her. She won't diss it, especially as we're coming into earshot, on my watch. "Now, you prefer being able to move freely and unrestrained, I'm going to guess?"

She scratches her cheek while pondering. "Ummm… yeah? You already deduced that? That's freaky…"

I roll my eyes, thinking she intended that to be sarcasm. "I've spent a lot of time with both forms of you. The other Neptune's mentioned she hates tight-fitting things, and how it hinders her freedom and battle prowess and whatnot. I applied the same principles to you," I explain as we pass inside, the sea of clothing expanding before us. "Now, since I know this place pretty well," and I hope to avoid the 'cosplay' section, and any of the employees that might recognize me as a result, "we're going to head _this_ way, since the other places are for children or men, and I'd rather not see you run around in men's clothing."

She shrugs. "It looks like comfy stuff, bit more material and sturdier than what I see for women, though? I mean, is it that bad?"

"It is for me. I'd rather see you wear something girlier."

"...'Kay, fine. I'll try."

"Surprisingly obedient about that, huh?" I remark, somewhat surprised. She grunts in response, having turned her head away to look about the store while I lead her to the ladies' area. "I think we'll give some of the basic stuff a try - see how you like Lastation-brand shorts, tops, maybe some jackets and whatever else jumps out at us. If you see something in particular, point it out. I also want to get you some underwear, since…," I drop my voice, finally popping the question, "Do… do you wear a bra?"

 _Blink, blink._ "Am I supposed to?"

"We're tacking that onto the list, too."

"But they're so uncomfortable!"

"Do you _want_ sagging and people staring everywhere you go?"

"...Understood, ma'am."

"Good girl. I'm glad we understand one another," I comment with satisfaction. Having arrived, I peer about, searching… ah. "First, we'll do just that. Come on, let's see what they have on hand at the moment."

She wordlessly follows after me, her head twisting to and fro with intrigue. I have to admit, it's kind of cute to see, really; she's actually rather interested in the stuff on display, and some of the mannequins' styles are catching her eye. I giggle quietly to myself, stopping in front of some underwear, looking down at it. Now, the important parts begin.

"Are you the frilly type, the flashy type, or the plain type?" I inquire, watching as she disentangles herself from me, glossing over the various bras around us. "It helps to figure it out - I'm not going to pick for you since this is _your_ personal stuff, but I can answer questions if you have them."

She scratches the back of her head, immediately turning to me. "What type do you wear?"

"...Um, plain, mostly," I say awkwardly, extending a hand to comb through one of my hair tails. "There's some frilly stuff here or there, but plain works well with everything and hides well under clothing, plus it's just the most comfortable for me out of everything, I guess."

"Comfort is king," she states matter-of-factly, and I nod. That was a quick decision. "Do ya' need my size?"

"...I'd rather you just grab them yourself. You can keep that information to yourself," I utter, keeping my eyes anywhere but on her. I don't need extra details. No, get these images out of my head. Go away!

"...Uh… but…"

"...Do you not even know?"

"...Um, if I didn't wear it, should I?"

"Goddess, help me." Coughing, I will away the budding redness on my cheeks as I face her, eyeing her. "You're bigger than I am, but you're smaller than Vert, right?"

"...I think so?"

"Are you bigger or smaller than the other Neptune when she becomes Purple Heart?"

"...I _think_ a little smaller? I uh…"

"Yeah, I know. I didn't really expect a concrete answer. Okay, so somewhere in these sizes. Got it. Let's grab a few different sizes from this pile first and go from there," I surmise, snatching a handful of - no, there's no pun here - bras from the same maker. Convenient that they're either black or purple. I wonder when they started carrying purple ones? Interesting. "Try these on. There's a changing room over there."

"Uh? Okay, sure. What about you, though?" she inquires, eyeing me nervously. I frown, feeling a slight pang of guilt. "And… um, how am I supposed to put these on?"

"You'll… give it a go, if you don't understand, I'll help, alright? I'll try to find some shirts or something for you, as well, so I'll be nearby. If you can't figure it out, however, just zip your hoodie back up and call me. Don't walk out without being covered," I point out carefully, ensuring to cover as many catastrophes as possible before they sprout up.

"...Oh, yeah, right. Okay, just a minute then!" she says with a small smile, pivoting on her toes before setting off at a brisk pace for the changing room.

Now left alone for a minute or two, I trail after her, pausing at the other items on display. Maybe some graphic tees and some plain ones, accompanied by jean-shorts, regular shorts, and maybe some sporty ones. Lastation isn't known for 'flashy' like, say, Planeptune or Leanbox, and Lowee's just as practical as we are, so I can't say I've expected to find massive amounts of diversity. I guess we can hit Planeptune later, though then I risk running into the _other_ Neptune, the one I've known forever, who might decide to complicate things with her usual ways.

Complicate? I pause, thinking about it. How did I mean that? She'd just cause her usual amount of chaos and derail it, right? That's all I meant. Yeah.

"...Noooire," I hear her call out, and immediately withdraw from my thoughts, deciding it's fine to come to her aid with what I already have with me. Rushing over, I step into the changing room, peering around.

"Which one?" I call softly, hoping not to disturb anyone else.

"This one," she answers, opening the door somewhat while waving me over. Approaching, I stop just outside the door.

"What's up?" I ask. "Haven't figured out the clasp, the straps, or something else?"

"No, just, I… wanted your opinion on it, is all," she remarks quietly. "I'd, uh, just prefer your input, y'know? I haven't worn this stuff before."

"...U-um, that's… fine, I guess." She'd just make the 'We're both girls' argument if I tried to point out the awkwardness of it, so… swallow your nervousness, will away those strange encroaching thoughts, and calm yourself down. Breathe… alright. "Coming in, then."

"'Kay."

Slipping into the room with her, I'm immediately thankful that there's a little bit of space to maneuver. Not much, if we're being realistic, but at least I'm not sandwiched against her. She nods, stepping back toward the little table-seat, her face dusted red. Wow, that's a first… _Oh._

Before me, an older-aged Neptune with long, flowing hair stands in just her underwear, and honestly… I flush, turning away, coughing. "Y-y-you look good, Neptune. It fits you well."

"...D-does it?"

"...Mm. I _probably_ should find you the matching underwear, but that can wait. Instead, um, put something from this pile on. I guessed a bit on your size, but I figure if it's a little airy, that'll make you happier, right?" I spit the words out rapidly, thrusting the pile onto the table-seat. "I-I'll step outside for the minute. Try them on, see how they feel, and once you have a bottom and a top that you like, you can ask me, too."

"Do I… need to worry about matching them or anything?"

"They're pretty universal since it's Lastation. Just, whatever you like the most. Now, uh, I'll go," I state, quickly pardoning myself to exit the room, standing outside it as I heave a deep breath.

 _She's ingrained into my mind. Noooooo… Those curves are unfair!_

Opting to instead use these thoughts to compare notes with myself, I manage to turn it into muttering about the injustice of being able to age properly instead of letting my mind go anywhere else while I wait for her to finish. It works pretty well.

Well, as well as it can while I listen to the soft sounds of her sliding things on and off, making sounds of approval and disapproval. They're mildly distracting, and I find myself _seriously_ self-questioning about some things for the first time in quite some time, while also pondering why it's always a _Neptune_ that causes these sorts of thoughts to occur.

It's stupid. There's nothing special to be found here. At all.

"'Kay, this one's alright," she remarks, opening the door while stepping out. She's sporting a gray tee with a fluffy cat munching on some pizza on it, with some black shorts paired with it. I smile, nodding slowly. She looks a whole lot more normal like this, and she's kind of cute with that shirt especially.

"It fits. Very well," I state. "Good pair, too. Did you not like the other shorts? I think that one was under the jean-shorts."

"They just… felt a little stiff?" she answers, grimacing. "I don't like stiff. These are a bit more flexible, but they're still… well, the sporty ones just didn't feel like they fit as well."

Nodding again, I beam. "I'm impressed that you'd care about stuff like that. That's good; we can officially write you off being 'styleless' now. Want to try the rest of those?"

She shakes her head, shrugging. "I'll wear all of them at some point, so… ah, wait, is that okay?"

I make a sound of affirmation. "Yeah! Perfectly. We'll also have to hit Planeptune and Leanbox at some point to get you some better diversity, but this'll do well enough for a start. Thoughts about wearing, you know, real clothing?"

"It's… not too bad, actually," she admits, smiling softly. "Thank you, Noire."

 _Thump, thump_. I clear my throat, rubbing my cheek. "S-sure, no problem. But, uh, you need to take all that back off so we can purchase it. Then, I guess we can just head back and have you put it on before we continue elsewhere. Is that fair?"

She blinks, frowning. "That's an overly complicated process, but fine," she replies, disappearing back into the changing room for a moment before popping back out. "Help with taking my bra back off? I don't really feel like fighting with it."

"...You ought to…"

" _Please_?"

"...Ugh, fine," I say weakly, stepping back into the room with her. She offers me her back, and I stare at her, hesitating. "Are you sure?"

"Mm! It's fine."

 _Modesty isn't your strong suit, is it?!_

Sighing shakily, I raise my hands, brushing my fingers gently along her spine while I hurriedly get the thing undone. Immediately, she slips it off of her shoulders, grinning as she turns to me before I can make my exit.

…

"You're staring~."

Inhaling sharply, I spin on my heel and fling the door open, stepping back out while grumbling swears under my breath, clasping my hands to my cheeks, groaning. "I freaking hate you."

"No, you don't~!" she chirps from the other side of the wall, laughing. "Your face just got so red, jeez~!"

"S-shut _up!_ "

"Make me, huh~?"

Going silent as I wait for her to get back into her hoodie, she reappears as before, holding the haphazard pile of clothes in her arms. She wears a smug expression while I glare at her, and as expected, she doesn't care. "Still red~."

"I'll show you red," I growl as a threat, pivoting to set off before she can mount any responses to fire back. "We're paying for this stuff, and then we're heading out. I need sleep," I grumble out, having decided that I've more than had my fill of this outing.

"Awww, cutting our date short, then? I guess it's fine, though. I've had my fun~," she giggles, the footfalls of her steps peppy and in high spirits.

"A… date, huh?" I mutter.

"Mm! Didja' hate it?" she asks, apparently having heard me.

"...I didn't know it _was_ one. I thought… ah, whatever…," I grumble. My mind's beginning to melt down on itself, and she's at the damn source of it. It's not like female-female relationships are all that weird, anyway, I guess…

"...Hm? Are ya' alright, Noire?" Neptune inquires, and I turn my head toward her slightly, eyeing her. She freezes, blinking, as her face goes red. "Ah... ahahaha. Quite the look you have there."

 _Blink, blink._ "...What do you mean? I'm just looking at you," I explain tiredly, arriving at the counter. "Set the stuff down for them to scan out, let's get going."

"...Aye, aye, cap'n~!"

Checking out proceeds smoothly enough, and then, taking one of the bags that the cashier divides them into while Neptune grabs the other, we set off for the Basilicom now.

Yeah, really. I mean, it's not like it matters if I'm a little interested. It's her fault, anyway. She just ought to take responsibility for making me feel like this. I shouldn't feel so bad. Even Goddesses have interests. Yeah.

"Hey, Noire…"

"...Yeah?" I respond back mechanically, thinking, thinking, thinking.

"Thanks, for today. I, uh, really am happy to have gotten to finally go out with ya'," she says, laughing awkwardly. "I'm, uh, not really the best with the serious stuff, but, I really do mean it, y'know? I like being around you."

...I ought to just calm down and remind myself. It's the human Neptune. She doesn't mean harm; she doesn't need to feel bad or be blamed. I'm just a little… weird, maybe.

"Ah… yeah, no problem. It was a nice day out. I wouldn't mind more, I guess…," I answer back, taking a breath. Come back from these thoughts, they aren't going to be answered, anyway. You learned this with the other Neptune, Noire. She doesn't ever go beyond just trying to get a rise out of you. You shut these feelings away for that very reason.

"Really? I'd like to, too," she agrees as we proceed through the halls of the Basilicom. Did we already pass through the entryway? I don't even remember anymore.

Opening the door to the guest room set aside for her, we enter it. Setting down the bag on one of the chairs, I hear her do the same somewhere else in the room. Twisting around on my heel, I watch her stretch her hands over her head as she yawns, smiling softly.

But you know what, Noire? _Screw it._

"That was pretty nice! So, now what?" she asks, beaming at me.

Taking steps toward her, I smile while cocking my head. "Now? Now, I pay you back."

"...Pay me back?"

Stopping before her, I push her back onto the chair behind her, much to her surprise, before sliding between her legs with a smirk. "Yes. Pay you back. After all, I'm so damn done trying to hold back."

She remains silent for a few moments, and I wait for the shocked, horrified expression and what would then follow, though she simply blinks and smiles, letting out a heavy sigh. I eye her in confusion.

"It took you long enough. I guess persistence _was_ the answer, huh?"

"...What?" is all that escapes my lips. She laughs, grabbing my shoulders, pulling me closer while pinning her mouth to mine.

* * *

 **Just gonna' go ahead and end it there, keep it a nice, simple, sweet resolution. I think it speaks for itself.**

 **Altogether, I just enjoyed drabbling on about this, so I'm content. I never really had a set end-point or anything in particular in mind... so here it is? Hahaha.**

 **Hope it read well, I'm not scanning it over right now as it's 1:25AM and I've got stuff to do after I get up at around 6-7AM. Need the sleep now, but I'm not gonna' delay posting it since I'm not usually bad about grammar, writing, typing, whatever else.**

 **And I hope all of you are having good days and good nights and all the stuff in between - I'm slowly picking up and I'm appreciating hearing from you guys, especially now that I'm also bouncing more ideas back and forth with Konductor, who writes really freaking well. Hope they keep at their stuff too, as it's good Nep stuff and we need more of that. Plus, talking while writing's a comfortable way to work on stuff when I'm not gaming or working at my real life stuff.**

 **Anyway, I've rambled enough, I think. Gonna' end it off here, probably post something tomorrow if I've got the time. We'll have to see how my day plays out after the chaotic morning and if I wake up in an alright mood.**

 **Tainted out!~**


	40. Shot 40! Downtime

**Hello, hello! Just another short update to throw down here before I go pass out. I'll probably be MIA tomorrow as it's a family member's birthday and I'm not going to ditch as that'd be terrible, so I'll apologize in advance if nothing in particular makes its way onto my posts until later on on Wednesday.**

 **This isn't anything super special or anything extravagant, but it was fun so I hope it makes you smile / fills you with warm and fuzzy Nep-Noire fluff.**

 **Anyway! Onward!**

* * *

Peering up at the clouds hanging cluttered in the skies as a torrent of rain pelts the windows and walls akin to a hail storm, I smile softly; rainy days are worthwhile, really - it deafens things, it offers realistic, necessary delays to the unending technological machine sometimes, and it just seems… oh-so relaxing.

"Achoo! Hhk… augh…"

Well, it _would_ be that way. Grimacing, I twist my body around and eye the source of that interruption as she lays wrapped in a blanket, sniffling slightly, as the fireplace crackles loudly beside us. One can tell from a glance what very well might have happened, but still…

"...So, what have we learned?" I inquire rhetorically, knowing full-well that it really won't make a difference one way or the other. But _still_.

"...Rrrgh…," she grumbles out unhappily, curling into an even smaller ball in the blanket. "...Not to play in the rain…"

"Bingo," I start, raising a hand to run through my hair as I watch the girl look like a miserable cat on my couch. "It wouldn't have been so bad had you worn a raincoat or something, but in your everyday clothing, it's just _asking_ for trouble."

 _Sniffle._ "I thought Goddesses couldn't catch colds!"

"No, that's idiots, and it seems like we've been proven wrong, yet again," I say sarcastically, earning a sulking glare from my guest as I laugh, waving a hand. "Sorry, sorry, couldn't help it. Still, yeah, for future references; Goddesses can still suffer from human ailments, too, when we're in these forms. Ah, but don't try to transform - trust me, it'll feel even worse," I quickly add in, already anticipating the hum of her HDD activating.

Truthfully, _she'd_ feel better, but she'd end up being mildly delirious instead of sick. I'm not sure why the symptoms convert, but they do - maybe something like a virus? Hard to say. Regardless, I'd rather _not_ deal with a Purple Heart like that. That's only asking for trouble.

"Uugh… I hate thissss…"

Sighing, I nod. "Don't play outside in the rain again, then. It's unreasonable, especially considering what you normally wear. Ah, maybe I should check on if it's drying alright or not…," I suddenly think aloud, making to leave, though…

A frantic arm pops out of the blanket, waving at me. "Nnnooo. It's probably still soaking wet. Just stay here."

Shaking my head gently, I walk to the couch, sitting on the edge of it beside her, eyeing her. "And what am I supposed to do while I look after you? I could've been doing something important, you know."

She scoffs, though ends up sneezing as a result. I hand her a tissue from the box, grinning at the instant karmic retribution. She glares at me as she accepts it, blowing her nose before tossing it in the basket beside her. "Shhhut up. It's not funny. And it's not like you'd be doing anything anyway…," she grumbles, turning her attention to the fire. "That's why I came over here, anyway…"

"What, to do nothing together?" I question her line of thought, and she grins, shaking her head weakly. "Then, what?"

"We'd of… like, gamed or something. Or maybe a movie night, now," she suggests, her eyes widening at her own idea. "...Yeah… yeah! Movies could be fun."

"That'd require moving to where there's a television hooked up. I don't have one in here, this is my study and it's the only place with a fireplace," I point out, though it doesn't seem to dissuade her.

"Thennn… just carry me, what's the problem?" she then returns, watching me. "You're a little bigger than me and I'm a cute, small girl. There's no problem!"

Rolling my eyes, I sigh. "There's _plenty_ wrong with that. I'm not sure my little bit of height would help at all, and who says I _want_ to carry you?"

She snickers, her eyes resting on me with catlike smugness. "As if you'd pass up the chance, you adore me, you tsuntastic black bunny! C'mon, I'm nice and warm~!"

"Haaahhhh. Have you dried off?" I ask, ignoring her. It's not like she says, but she won't shut up if I don't, so I might as well consider it for that reason if nothing else. "I'm not touching you, _at all_ , if you're still wet and sticky under there." I didn't help her rub herself down with a towel after dragging her in from the rain, though I did offer her some spare clothes to wear. Why do I have spare stuff in Neptune's size here, people would ask? Because it's Neptune. Think about it, people.

She hums, grinning. "Tsk, tsk, typical Noire~. But, uh, yeah, I scrubadubdubbed most of it away. These clothes are so comfy, though. Are they Lastation-brand?"

I nod. "Of course. It might not be as flashy as Planeptune, but it's definitely comfortably functional. Way more-so, if we're being honest."

"Hey, hey, don't start dissing Planeptune. We've got the best _everything_ and everyone knows it."

"Hmmm… right. Best slackers, best troublemakers, best old stuff…"

" _Hey._ "

"Yeah?"

"We have the best butts around, too. Wanna' see?"

"...No, no, I really don't, but thanks anyway. Stop trying to verify the crap NepChan spreads around, we don't need more weird stuff circulating about us."

"I wasn't gonna' offer elsewhere, though~?"

"Neptune."

"Awww. Partypooper."

"And you're a bit off, but I tolerate you anyway, now don't I?" I retort, rubbing my temples. I sometimes don't know what to make of her flirtatious attitude, especially with crap like that; it's hard to tell whether she's serious about it or just being herself, really. I'm not going to bother asking, though, as no matter how I'd cut it, it'd end up disastrously, I'd tend to expect. "So, am I having to carry your pudding-heavy self to the television room, or are we just staying here?"

"Don't talk bad about the pudding! And Goddesses can't really gain weight, anyway, so what's it matter?" She pauses, and then eyes me. "And, yeah. Carry me like a princess~!"

"I'm about to grab you like a sack of potatoes if you keep trying to get under my skin," I threaten, though we both know full-well I'm not going to be spiteful from stupid crap like this. Standing up, I frown. "Lift your back a little and your legs a bit, I'm not going to shove my way under you."

"Got iiiit," she complies, smiling in satisfaction. "You're always so much nicer when it's just us."

"I'm not dealing with _everyone_ running off your gags when it's just us, so maybe I'm a bit more tolerant," I mumble back, hoisting her up into my arms. I grimace for a moment as I try to stabilize myself from the sudden weight added onto me, though quickly power through it and exhale. "I'm not sure you're too much lighter than me, really."

"Still pretty light, then," she remarks, causing me to shrug. She's not really wrong, I suppose. Maybe she's actually self-conscious about her weight? I'll lay off a little. "So, carry me off into the tsunset, eh?"

"There's no sun to be found here, only rain. Kind of like Lowee and snow around this time of year, now that I think about it…," I respond, making for the door. "I wonder how those people live in perpetual snow. I'd be freezing."

She nods. "I know! It's kinda' scary sometimes, but Leanbox is like an eternal summer, so it balances out… I think?"

"And _that's_ why I like our location in Gamindustri. We actually experience seasons. Novel, really." It's around autumn, now that I'm thinking about it. That might explain the rain and the slightly chilled temperatures recently… "Neptune, you might want to keep in mind that it's getting closer to our winter season, so you'd probably want to check your antics more than usual. Stay indoors instead of outside, got it?"

"Mm… are ya' looking out for me? How sweet~!" she comments, chuckling, likely encouraged by the expression of disdain that I've laid upon her. She closes her eyes and leans her head back, still beaming. "I got it, though. Thanks for the heads-up. Maybe I'll just stay here for the winter and hibernate."

"What, so _I'd_ have to fortify the entire place to prevent a Histoire on a warpath? No thanks," I shoot her down promptly. "You're not dragging me down with you. Go hit up Vert or Blanc if you want to incite your usual lazing-induced mayhem."

"But…," she starts, frowning as her eyes open to focus on me. I already know what she wants to say, ' _But it's more fun if it's you!'_ and whatever else she'd throw in alongside it.

"No buts. Nor butts, before you decide to go down that path. Also, open the door for me, will you? I don't have three hands," I command, closing my eyes for a moment while she moves her upper body to grab the knob. Truthfully, I'm a little tired today, but I'm not really able to get the shut-eye I could actually use due to playing nurse for the day. Maybe I should go make some coffee, or tea, or something. Caffeine is Lastation's lifeblood, after all.

The door clicks and opens, Neptune making a sound of satisfaction at her ability to maneuver while still lying snugly in my arms. "By our powers combined, anything is possible!" she cheers, gazing up at me with a grin.

I snort quietly, nodding. "We've defeated a door, so we can defeat anything. Well, you're right, anyway," I remark, thinking about it. "We're a pretty good team when you're serious about things."

"I'm always serious, you just don't know what I'm being serious _about_ , see?" she explains with pride, raising a hand to pat her chest for emphasis. I'm not sure what to say in response, really. "Are ya' awestruck by my genius, then~?"

"...Sure, we'll go with that," I grumble, eyeing the various sofas and couches set in a crescent shape before an amply-sized television mounted on the wall. "Which seat should I put you down onto?"

"Hummm… since I'm kinda' depending on you anyway, whichever you're sitting in, so maybe we can both take the center one?" she suggests, gesturing to it.

"Mm. Got it, makes sense. I'm about to go grab something caffeinated though; I could really use it right about now," I state, leaning down so she can roll onto the cushions. Along the way, she manages to get herself tangled up in the blanket, causing me to chuckle softly. "Smooth."

"Hey now, _you_ try to always make the blankets cooperate when you're moving around. It's like impossible, man!" she responds defensively, stretching her arms over her head. "Mmmm…! How about something sweet, or maybe fruity? Got any pudding-flavored…"

"Yeah, I have a couple special blends _just_ for you. Since you're sick, maybe we'll go with something like tea. Does that work for you?" I inquire, stretching my back while yawning. "Hyaaaa…"

I hear Neptune snort, and I quickly return my attention to her, cocking my head quizzically. "You looked _just_ like a bunny does when it's stretching. It was kinda' c… comical, y'know?"

"Uh… huh. Did you just stutter with saying comical? Should I worry you've actually got a fever?" I shift gears, fretting mildly. If I've been treating this like a simple cold when it might be a fever or something else, I'd feel rather bad. Goddesses are tough, but we're not invincible, after all, and Neptune's no exception to that. Leaning forward, I tug off my arm-length gloves and toss them to the side, pressing the back of my hand to her forehead. "Hm… a little warm, but not that bad. I didn't ask; how are you _actually_ feeling beneath that happy-go-lucky front…?"

Noticing her eyes are a little hazy as they focus on me, I grimace. Okay, this might be a bigger predicament than I thought, actually. Maybe I need to phone a doctor, or go raid my medical center for a few things? She seems somewhat fuzzy, if I'm being honest - she's eyeing me weirdly, and she's been a bit… off, for a little while now. "...Hey, Noire…?" she starts softly, her voice akin to that of a whisper.

"Yeah?" I reply, studying every bit of her face for any plausible signs or indications of how much I _really_ need to worry. While we may be close, I can't say I've fully scratched the surface of that indomitable wall she throws up before everyone. It's sometimes really frustrating.

"Could you just… stay here? I don't mind if you sleep a little," she mumbles, letting out a sigh. "I don't… really want to not have you here, y… know?"

Running my fingers through my hair, my lips curl downward. She's making this somewhat more difficult, though I suppose I can understand where she's coming from, really. Inhaling, I relent on being more logical than empathetic, extending my hand to pet her gently. "...Haah. Fine, I'll stay put. Just, tell me if something's wrong or you're feeling off, okay? I'm a little worried, actually."

She shuts her eyes, visibly relaxing into the couch with a minute smile. "That feels… really nice," she notes aloud, and I purse my lips in mild embarrassment. Hearing her say stuff like that's just not normal. "Can ya' continue…?"

One side of my mouth curls up as I lower myself onto the cushion beside her torso, combing through her hair gingerly. She begins to synchronize her breathing to each pass of my hand, snuggling further against herself and the back of the furniture, her expression remaining content. "I swear, you're a bit of a handful," I remark quietly, an amused snort of air coming from her.

"And? You seem… okay with that, y'know."

"Hmmm… maybe a little. You're not _that_ bad, I guess," I admit, chuckling. "Far more tolerable than anyone else, even if I want to pummel you sometimes. I guess I wouldn't have you any other way."

"...Hahahahah, Noire's suddenly being all dere. So cute."

"Doooon't push your luck, you dolt. I'll still show you hell if you get under my skin."

"Mmm… I'd win, 'cause ya' love meeee…," she declares triumphantly as she fades off into what appears to be a sufficiently comfortable doze. Petted into sleep, I really ought to compare her to a cat more than anything.

...But, love, huh? I wonder if that's what one could call it. I don't even really know, myself, though I'm not sure I'd ever really seek out an answer. If I were wrong, I'd jeopardize our immortal friendship, and if I were right… well, I don't really know.

I've seen plenty of Gamindustri's citizens in blissful coupling, but have there ever been records of Goddesses in the same sense? Especially… with another Goddess? It's absurd and there's no precedence. Maybe that's why I don't bother to think too much about this stuff, though when she's warm and close like this…

I slide my hand down from her head, cupping her cheek with a soft smile. She's an adorable girl, one that I've known forever, and one that I'll continue to stand beside, no matter what comes to our doorstep as Goddesses of the world. That's more than enough to satisfy my inner thoughts for the time being, really. After all…

While she might _act_ like it, does she feel the same? It's hard to tell. There are mixed signals and I'm not perfect at reading her. If anything, I'd prefer she make the first move before I jump to any conclusions, or anything else. I'm not prepared to take the plunge.

Yeah… I don't mind how things are, right now. It's okay like this, with these quiet moments we can share, where I can look after her or vice versa. It's more than worthwhile to savor this time together.

Feeling myself smiling as I gently pet and touch her, I yawn. Fatigue finally beginning to overwhelm me, I shake my head, eyeing her. To hell with it, I'll live with the possibility of getting sick. Going all the way, I lay down onto the cushions beside her, watching her gentle breaths for a few moments as I take her hand in mine, snuggling a little closer.

Mm. Downtime like this isn't bad at all.

* * *

 **Now, I ask you a very realistic question. Outside of one sneeze at the very beginning, how about you read this with the idea that Neptune's only just simply lovesick and is playing off the under-the-weather card? Any idea which seems more plausible? I'm not too sure myself. Damn cat-Neps. ;D**

 **I think I'm content with how it reads, though my eyes also sting from the less-than-usual lack of sleep from yest-well, today, really, but _shhhh_ that's not the point. Little fatigued, maybe it influenced the writing, though I hope not!**

 **I wish each and every one of ya' a wonderful rest of your evening if you're near my timezone when this goes up, or... GOOD MORNING TO THE REST OF YOU. TOP OF THE MORNING, HAPPY TUESDAY AND ALL THAT JAZZ.**

 **Remember to give me some nitpicking if you feel like it, too! Always appreciate a bit of food for thought to improve off of. ^_^**

 **Tainted out!~**


	41. Shot 41! Musing

**Hiya!**

 **Didn't expect to actually have _any_ time to drabble, but this works out and I'm in good spirits, so have something brief and, at least in my opinion, cute for your Tuesday!**

 **Onward!**

* * *

The amber glow of the television as it buzzes softly into the exceptional quiet is what likely rouses her from a brief slumber. She opens her eyes, somewhat fuzzy, feeling a slight sense of disorientation. What had she been doing? Why was the television on? Usually these things would be readily apparent, especially with the dutiful vigilance of her younger sister, but at this time… it'd seem as though that weren't the case.

She lifts her head slowly, yawning into a hand, blinking repeatedly until alertness and awakeness spreads through her. Licking her lips to sate some of the dryness of them, she turns her head about, trying to get her bearings.

Ahead of her, the television - something to be described, in a word, as _massive_ \- with dull pictures in mute flashing across it. Some show seems to be on at this time, though which one, she couldn't really guess - it's nothing that runs in Planeptune, that's for sure. Below her, a sprawling couch of considerable portions made of luxurious leather colored a sharp black. Beginning to hypothesise where she might be, she glances to her right and immediately takes note of the raven-haired girl slumbering beside her. This would be Noire, the patron Goddess of Lastation, and her closest friend in her tightknit friend group.

Right, she had been spending the night gaming and watching various shows with Noire, and it seems they both inadvertently ended up falling asleep at some point; likely herself being the first to phase out. She chuckles, enjoying the peaceful face her friend makes as she dozes, her posture remaining somewhat elegant and proper even in slumber - a factor that both amazes and disappoints the girl, as she'd have expected that her friend would slip in her image at least in sleep, but apparently not. She watches her for a little while, beaming, as she shifts in her position on the couch to have a better view while remaining comfortable - craning her neck wasn't quite enjoyable.

Truthfully, the girl doesn't know why she finds so much satisfaction in seeing her friend like this - it just resonates with her, causing a satisfying warmth of which she's not well-adjusted to. These feelings come from time to time, though, even in her long life, she hasn't experienced them anywhere but while beside the slumbering Goddess.

She muses for a few moments whether it could be construed as love, though quickly tries to dismiss this. There's no way that a Goddess could fall in love, especially with their best friend - it's not a trait applicable to the rulers of the world, or rather, it'd be a trait that could be seen as negative. Especially if their target of affection is that of another nation's ruler; it'd be disastrous if things were to go southside in unforeseen circumstances.

Then again, she suspects that her friend likely holds the same mentality. She isn't dumb by any means, even if she plays the fool; Noire's behavior is much more sporadic and she goes an extra mile for the girl, far further than anyone else - besides her sister, of course, but _all_ of them would walk a thousand miles for their younger siblings. Well, except Vert, due to understandable circumstances.

Still, that doesn't stop the girl from enjoying the idea of what could be while debating the actual obstacles the two might face if she were to actively pursue the twin-tailed girl's adoration. There aren't any qualms in people opposing it due to gender; Gamindustri is a rather open-minded world, especially considering that she is one of four who heads it. There shouldn't be huge backlash from the other two Goddesses; they've likely suspected both of the girls' feelings for quite some time. Their sisters might not mind; they're close as well, sometimes suspiciously close to where the girl doesn't know whether they've made further progress together than she and Noire have. They have her blessing, of course, but she'd of preferred to be the first one to make the wave; maybe it's the competitive nature inside her talking, though.

Outside of that, there aren't too many things she has to fear, actually. Their chemistry is pretty good, they make a good team, they've known each other for far more than just a few decades - maybe beyond centuries, though the girl hasn't really paid attention to the time to really know. She's had too much fun focusing on the time she spends with her friends to really concern herself with those details.

And, especially, if she were to think about it - who better to stay beside an immortal Goddess than a fellow immortal Goddess? Others fade in time, a fact she'd rather not think of, but a necessary thing to acknowledge. The Goddess of Lastation will live forever, right beside her, so age has no claim to stake on either of them. The only worry is if a rift grows in that eternity.

But, if the girl were to be honest, she doubts it would. She's not the kind to focus on these sorts of details as she weathers them with the best of 'em. Why fear what can be settled?

She giggles as the focus of her thoughts rolls over slightly, laying sideways on the couch while breathing gently. Her chest rises and falls beneath the silk nightgown she wears, attracting a small amount of attention from the girl, but she coughs silently and instead returns her focus to her face. Her lips are parted just barely, her bangs hanging fluffily in her face, shifting a tiny bit with every exhale.

Her hands are open, set in front of her against the back of the couch, her legs tucked up underneath her, all but just above most of the thigh in full view for the girl. Admonishing herself for lingering on this fact, she purses her lips contemplatively.

Should she, or shouldn't she? She could pass it off as something occurring while asleep, perchance, which might just work, if the raven-haired queen of all things tsundere seems bothered. Though, she doubts she will be; just flustered.

She nods to herself. Why not take advantage of this moment? Extending her hands outward, she gently clasps their hands together, enjoying the warmth they bring her as she slides just a little closer. Breathing somewhat nervously, she mentally steels herself while gauging how deep of sleep her target might just be, and…

Gingerly pressing her lips to Noire's, she finds herself succumbing to the softness of them for the few moments she can as she presses their bodies together, leaning on her while simultaneously withdrawing the kiss in case of waking her. The two fall back onto the arm of the couch, the girl resting her head on Noire's chest, a content beam upon her face. Thank the Goddess that the tsundere sleeps rather soundly.

She won't ever know, but the girl will. Tomorrow, it'll just be a bit of a freakout to find her sleeping on Noire, but nothing bad will come of it. After all, gently pushing the boundaries while waiting for the right moment is her specialty at this point.

So warm~.

* * *

 **I don't tend to write third-person, but I think it turned out okay given what it entailed. It's nothing too impressive, I'm sure, but it should be something to help make you feel a little warmer and fuzzier today. ^_^**

 **I need more Nep and I need more Noire. I should get back to finishing one of my 4GO files or replay Megadimension, too. But the new dotHack's out and I wanna' play that, too, and I'm not sure I can do any of it really as today's dedicated to spending time with family. The woes, y'know...s?**

 **Nah, it's not that bad. I enjoy it and have plenty of time, I s'pose, so it's all good. Wishing you all a good day!**

Ah, and I _really_ ought to finish some of those older stories I'd been talking about. RIP. Sorry about the delay on those, I'm bad at going back to stuff I've taken breaks from for a while! ;_;

 **Tainted out!~**


	42. Shot 42! Dressed and Repressed

**Hello! Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans, and happy Thursday to the rest of ya'!**

 **This is just something short to help me get back into writing. Been impeded a lot recently and I've been in a rut. I figured something, _anything_ to get the mojo flowing again is more than sufficient, so... here we are! A mildly awkward, warm moment between the two!**

 **Onward!**

* * *

Sighing aloud, I shift before the mirror, frowning. It's not _bad_ , but it's I'm not positive about it. Maybe a brighter color…? Or a different design? Too plain? Maybe I need something frillier. Or possibly something completely simple for gracefulness. Ah, but then if I change, I have to go fetch a different pair of shoes, and I don't have as many pairs to mesh with most colors…

 _Aggghhhhh._

I raise a hand to brush the bangs from my face, huffing. Nothing is cooperating with me today - nothing at all, and it's absolutely terrible. Damn it, what's the time… about one, okay, that's not bad. Well, I suppose I could just ask…

"...Neptune, why aren't you dressed yet?" I inquire slowly, my eyes narrowing on the other person in the room with me. Lavender spikes twitch as she jumps, sheepishly turning those sparkling eyes to me while laughing awkwardly.

"Ah, ahahah… I've got it under control, I swear," she replies, her eyes darting about the room. My eye twitches as I grimace, which she seems to notice as she waves her hands frantically at me. "No, no, not that look! I just need to go get it, really!"

"Really now…," I mutter as she begins moving, bending down to grab a box from under my bed. I roll my eyes, sighing. " _That's_ where you left it? What if you couldn't come here first…? Goddess above."

She laughs, dropping it onto the covers with a _thump._ "I am _always_ prepared! If I wasn't gonna' make it here on time, I'd justa' had you grab it for-," she cuts off as I take a step toward her, pinching her cheeks, " _Owwww! I'm shorry!"_

Letting go of her as she caresses her cheeks while sulking, I rub my temples in frustration. _Take Neptune, make sure she gets dressed properly,_ they said, dividing us into pairs - us at Lastation, them at Leanbox. Goddess damn it, why me…?

"Oh, wow, I didn't notice, but you look really pretty, Noire!"

 _Fluuuush._ "S-s-shut up! Get dressed already, you dolt! We're going to be late if you keep dragging your feet!" I shout at her, shaking my head. I _hate_ it when she starts up with stuff like that, it completely throws me off.

"Awww, you're blushing~! How cute~!" she chirps, though I turn my back to her while urging myself to get it together. I hear her lift the lid off the box, and… "Whoaaa, frilly. Ah, hey, it's purple. Didn't you pick this out?"

"...Yeah? What about it? Do you not like it?" I inquire, having willed the redness away as I spin back around, frowning. "I think it fits you very well - energetic, outspoken, and colorful, with a _hint_ of charm, I… guess," I end up mumbling the last few words while I eye her for her response. She cocks her head, staring intently at it.

"Hm… so that's how ya' feel about it, huh? I'll take your word for it, then! So, is this strapless, or…," she lifts it out, chuckling, "not! Got it. Ah, got a zipper in the back, huh? Gotcha'."

Nodding, I usher her off into the bathroom despite her protests. "I'm not having you change right in front of me. Remember, you're a Goddess; modesty first, Neptune." With her safely out of sight, I return to the mirror and my previous dilemma, glancing toward my closet. I'm still not quite sure what to pick or whether to stay with…

 _You look really pretty!_

...Aaaaah, damn it! Shake that off. Shove it away. Trust your gut, for Goddess' sake! Flicking my eyes back to the mirror, I purse my lips and contemplate it intently. It's not bad, I guess… I mean, I wanted her opinion to begin with, so maybe I'll take her word for it. Yeah, Neptune's reliable in these situations, probably. No, that's not bias, no, stop doubting yourself. Stop it.

Exhaling slowly, I nod. I've decided on this one; if another Goddess signs off on it, no matter which one, it's more than acceptable for mortal standards. It's _not_ just about Neptune. And it's not entirely as though I've got any reason to be _too_ extravagant for a formal party, after all. I look good in anything as it is, I'd say…?

"Hey, Noire, need a hand with the zipper back here; think it's stuck… ah, hey, are ya' _really_ still fussin' about how ya' look? I like you like that, so stay with it."

"...I-I'm not changing, I'm just in thought. Shut up. And how is the zipper stuck _already_? I _swear_ you're in…," I trail off, staring in horror. " _How in Goddess' name are you so sloppy?!_ "

"...What? I dunno' what you m… H-hey! Wh…," she cuts off as I tromp over to her, grunting commands.

"Stand straight. Stop moving. Raise your head," I rattle off in succession, immediately taking hold of her dress, or rather the disheveled mess she has it in. The frills are in disarray, it's not sitting right on her, it's a little wrinkled, and some of the poof it once held for charm has somehow been subdued. Goddess knows how she did that one. "How do you even do this to these kinds of outfits…? Haah."

"Hey now, I had it under control! A-ah, hey, careful where you're touchin'!" She starts fidgeting about, being unnecessarily weird about me trying to fix her outfit - which is mildly distracting, but not enough to stop me from trying to correct _this_ atrocity to all things formal fashion - and won't stop moving. Growing irked, I grit my teeth and push her back onto the bed, clambering on top of her while she struggles.

"Why… are you… being so damn difficult about this? Just… sit still like a good girl, damn it!" I bark at her, though it doesn't seem to deter her as her face reddens.

"N-No! I don't need the help! You're gonna' strip me at this rate!"

"If I have to do that to fix this mess of a dress, I'm going to! You'd look even cuter if it _wasn't so damn mucked up._ " Suddenly, she freezes, her eyes blinking. I cock my head sideways curiously, perplexed. "Eh? What, have you finally understood?"

"...A-ah, uh, you really think so?" she asks, and I blink. What, that she'd be more presentable? Did I say something weird? I wasn't really thinking about it.

"...Uh, yeah? Of course I do? Isn't that obvious?"

"H-huh. I… see. Well… do whatcha' have to, then."

"I'm… glad you understand," I mumble back, suddenly caught off-guard by her sheepish coyness. Maybe I really did say something weird, but if I ask about it now, I might hurt her. It seems to have been positive though. W-wait a minute, did I say something…? _Flush._ I couldn't of, right?!

Calm down, calm down; play it off, fix the dress. You're going to both be late soon, and both Blanc and Vert will be insufferable if that happens. Just. Focus. On…

The dress has indeed moved down a bit, revealing more of Neptune's skin than I'd anticipated, and it briefly occurs to me as I feel my face grow even hotter. "N-Neptune, you didn't wear a strapless bra?"

"...A-ah, ahahaha… I'm supposed to?"

"...Um, yeah. For… lots of reasons. Modesty, and… stuff."

"...Can ya'... stop staring? And move a little? You're, uh…"

"...Oh, _oh._ I… Have we been like this for a while?"

"...Mm."

Awkward silence settles between us as I prepare to slide off of her. The dress is still in disarray and she's just watching me with red cheeks and a warm, nervous look, and it's… it's causing feelings I _really_ didn't need right now to well up. _She's just so damn cute._

"N-Noire? You're…?" Feelings I'd repressed.

"H-hey, Neptune." Feelings I wasn't sure were shared.

"...Yeah?" Feelings that might not be unrequited.

"What… time is it?" Feelings more readily apparent than ever.

"U-uh… about one thirty?" The expectation in her eyes.

"...I see. Um…" The anticipation. I wonder if I have it too?

"Are ya'...? Wait…" Did it click? Is she going to throw me off?

"Do you… mind running late? I, um… I need to tell you something." Better test the waters.

Her face heats up. "I-I'm listening."

Silence settles again as I find the words unable to be said - surely if she's… acting like this, that means…? And she looks so cute, and neither of us are moving, so…? Agh, I'm opening my mouth but I can't say it!

"Noire…?"

Leaning down closer to her, I feel myself trembling. This is the only time I could try to put this to words; if we move, it'll just… go back to normal, won't it? I can't… let that happen.

Formal party… Neptune… which…?

Gazing into those trembling, warm, somewhat timid eyes, I don't even need to finish that question. _Especially_ when she's… like this. Gulping, I take a deep breath, her lips parting as if to say something, or perhaps an invitation… and I take it.

"...Nn! Mmh~..."

I don't need to fix the dress after all…~

* * *

 **I tried to add a bit more to it afterward, though I think it played out adequately. There's tension there and it doesn't really need to be capitalized on or explained more than what has already been done, I'd hope. I'm gonna' get back to posting stuff again later tonight after dinner prep and dinner itself, but I wanted to write this out since it's been sitting in a document half-written for two days and that's no good.**

 **Sorry if it's not up to snuff or standard quality, though. Not sure where I stand on my confidence level atm, though that won't deter me.**

 **Regardless. Wishing you all a warm day and good tidings and the like! It's a pretty nice Thursday, after all.**

 **Tainted out!~**


	43. Shot 43! An Unexpected Visitor

**Hello, hello! Tainted here with another update to lob onto the pile! This time, with the Hearts!**

 **It's not necessarily a fic that ends with a kiss or anything like that, but it's still Purple-n-Black, so I hope you all find some pleasure in this; it's taken quite a bit of time and I'm pretty comfortable with it! I'll ramble at the bottom, though, so...**

 **Onward!**

* * *

"Faaaah…," a sound makes its escape from my lips, owing solely to my great fatigue and likely nothing else. An exhausting day? To say the least, really; war between we four coupled with the proper duties of a Goddess? It's often maddening and very fruitless in the former of the two tasks. Headway is not a word that I would lob into that equation since the very beginning of it all.

Not that it makes a difference; I won't bow my head to any of them nor will I ever surrender Lastation to them - I will never accept being second-class, nor will I allow my citizens to have such a notion about themselves. For as long as there is a fight to be had, I will defend my nation to my last breath. Of this, I swear.

That doesn't change my level of tiredness, however. I thrust my chest forward in an attempt to stretch my back, twisting and extending my legs to do the same to them. While it hurts a bit, the feeling is also somewhat satisfying, and I close my eyes while yawning.

Lastation's progress on the domestic, technological and prosperity graphs have drastically improved; the nation is showing infrequently precedented growth worth toasting to. This fact comes to me, bringing a soft smirk of smug satisfaction to my lips. Even while I am away, my city can afford to stay; what can the other three say?

Peering about my chambers within the Basilicom, more out of boredom than of any particular purpose, I wonder what to do with my night. Should I see to a bath for myself? Or perhaps a bottle of wine? Or should I rest… No, I can't afford for that as of yet. While I wouldn't anticipate them to resort to cowardly night-raids after the various failed attempts, I can't simply neglect the possibility. It's not as though I've completely lost my alertness yet; eight days is manageable… for now. Perhaps my staff can watch over the nation while I requisition a few hours tomorrow afternoon.

Maybe it's paranoia, though; surely they have times where they need to sleep or rest as well, would they not? I am not showing a fatal weakness or anything of those sorts, am I? A twitch from my right eye, a sense of concern and disdain; I am not beneath them, and if I should forego sleep to even the score, I will.

I let out a sigh, running a hand through my snow-colored hair absentmindedly. I haven't seen enough care to my image recently; perhaps a bath is in order after all. Nodding slowly to myself, I swing my legs over the couch I had collapsed in until now, hopping to my feet. Rolling my shoulders, I take a breath and set forth for the washroom connected to my chamber…

 _Khhhk..._

A crackle over the loudspeaker? "Lady Black Heart, y… your presence is requested personally at the Basilicom's entrance." A stutter? Something's amiss. Damn it, I could've used this _after_.

But, I suppose my job's never done. Cursing my luck, I change directions, departing from my room through the halls to the main hub of the building. Inwardly, I debate the plausible problems; a hiccup in executing a new law or order, perchance? I don't recall any errors while looking over the various forms, though. Or might it be dissenters growing within the city? Those damned fringe movements for a world without Goddesses are a pain to deal with, though I suppose I can crush them out as always if need be. Monsters? I made my rounds earlier today, though, and all seemed in order.

None of these seem too probable, though. I handle these things daily to ensure there are no tumors nurturing under my nose, so the possibility that I missed something is slim, to say the least.

So, then what…?

Long, cascading deep purple surrounding aquamarine eyes, a haggard expression peering straight at me. Purple Heart, the Goddess-patron of Planeptune; a long-time rival… at my Basilicom's entrance, looking straight at me. _This_ was it? My staff turn their attention to me in obvious concern and fear, my eyebrows narrowing as an anger wells up inside me. So much for _them_ being useful; scratch not having to watch over myself while I sleep off the list. So, then… _why the hell is she here_?

"State your business before I take this as an act of open hostility and war," I proclaim immediately, ensuring to set the stage before she can; I will not be demeaned before Lastation. "In fact, I may do so regardless."

Purple Heart clears her throat, her eyes fanning over the Basilicom. "I came to request a meeting with you." Arching an eyebrow curiously, I cock my head at her and wait, crossing my arms. "Your response?"

"A meeting? Of what purpose? And why should I accept? Your position is one of high suspicion," I question at once, slowly dropping into a defensive stance. "I'm not lowering my guard, either. Get to the point or get out."

She nods, holding out her hands with her palms open. "I am here entirely of a diplomatic reasoning. I simply wish to talk; you need not accept, but I request that you would - I know how absurd this is, but I mean no harm."

"And what if _I_ do? Why would you put faith…"

"I wish to trust you, rather than distrust. Is that not obvious?" she cuts in, half-lidding her eyes with disinterest.

"... _Hmph._ As haughty as always." I eye her for a few moments, weighing it out. If she wished an actual attempt on my life, I wouldn't have ever anticipated using my front door of all things, so perhaps I could lend an ear. If nothing else, it will give me a chance to end her life should there be an opening. "So be it, you can accompany me to the meeting room… however, any suspicious…"

"I've no intention of reneging on my word. I am a Goddess, not a petty schoolgirl," she declares, nodding. "I thank you for your generous hospitality."

"Mm, sure. Basilicom; standby for any signs of struggles or strange behavior. Tighten and double security; call in those not on the premises and heighten patrol frequency and coverage. We will not be distracted for long, if that is the intention," I order briefly, pivoting on my heel while motioning to follow me with a finger. "Come then, Purple."

Setting off, I find her complying immediately without hesitation, which, frankly, baffles me. What the hell's with that confidence? This entire ordeal is surreal; one of three who have vowed over the centuries to take my life as well as the others to ascend to the title of One True Goddess, on my doorstep, demanding and requesting a completely diplomatic talk? It makes very little sense.

But then again, this is Purple Heart. Conventional expectations have tended to fail me when she factors into the equation; a woman with as frustratingly strong and set-in-stone morals as me, a master swordsman, and an all-around irksome individual.

The countless times we've gone head to head come to mind; draws or what could be construed as losses for me every single time. I haven't seen progress against her, though I suppose I shouldn't discourage myself much. Her prowess is a well-known aspect, and I've seen her repel Green and White more times together than I'd prefer to admit. Hmm. So that doesn't really answer…

"Why the hell are you here, in actuality?" I ask, turning my head to watch her again. She peers about the Basilicom as we walk with intrigue, soaking in our surroundings. While seemingly ignoring me. "Yes, it's the Lastation Basilicom. Surely it's not too different from yours."

Her pupils flick to me as she shakes her head, _smiling_ softly at me. What the hell? "You'd be rather surprised; Planeptune and Lastation are _very_ different, it would seem. Perhaps one might even say polar opposites."

"Oh? I find that rather hard to believe. Or am I to take that as an insult?" I inquire, becoming genuinely curious. What's with this peculiar warmth she's emanating? It's discomforting, yet somewhat relaxing simultaneously.

"No. Merely noting the differences as I'm unsure whether I'll ever have the opportunity to, again," she says, her tone dropping into that of a sadness. Narrowing my eyes, I grimace.

"Planning on something?"

"Not exactly. I'm mildly concerned I won't be accepted again."

 _Again_? "You're acting _far_ more peculiar than you have for the last few centuries. Speak," I command as we arrive at one of the many rooms inside the Basilicom; an adequately-sized room with large sofas and various bookcases surrounding a grand table. Lastation's current 'Discussion and Briefing' room, simply. "You can have a seat anywhere as you do so." I still really wanted that bath; I'm exhausted.

"...Mm, thank you," she replies, proceeding to one of the various leather couches, setting herself into it… rather gracelessly, with a heave of fatigue after I close the door. I eye her in surprised bewilderment to which she frowns. "Might I ask that I can let down the pretenses before a fellow Goddess? Your form suggests tiredness of the same level, you know."

"Rrk. I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not about to change my opinion of you for small things like that. I'd still willingly slit your throat whether you're acting formal or even acting like a harlot." I pause at the latter image, wrinkling my nose in disgust. "Perhaps with more satisfaction in the latter. It wouldn't fit."

I hear her laugh, my head spinning to watch her, a bright and warm smile spreading itself across her face. Blinking, I discover a strange pleasure in this, though I quickly squash it with mercilessness. She is the _enemy_. Do not forget.

She looks over at me as I sit down, grinning. "I'm glad that my image in your mind isn't so surly or unpleasant. I've wondered for quite some time whether you would regard me as an equal or something horrid, actually."

Raising an eyebrow as I cross my arms, leaning back against the cool leather, I shake my head. "While I'm not sure how to react to that, I've never particularly thought _ill_ of you, so to speak, though I've never particularly held you in high regard, either. You know, the whole _trying to kill one another_ and whatnot?" I mention, trying to gauge a reaction from her. This is _definitely_ going differently than I'd anticipated.

She waves at me, grimacing. "Why must we do that? I'd rather not put an end to your life."

"... _Excuse me?_ "

She nods. "I would prefer to see to an armistice, and to perhaps pursue _better_ relations rather than bitter ones. I will defend Planeptune to my grave, but why must I claim Lastation, Leanbox, or Lowee?" she asks, staring earnestly at me. A twitch makes itself known in my eye, and I inhale sharply.

"You wouldn't be able to, first off. I'd never truly lose. Secondly, _what the hell are you talking about,_ and _are you even actually Purple Heart._ What you're speaking is completely contrasting the last few centuries," I explain, narrowing my eyes threateningly on her. "I've no intention to be fooled so simply. This is damn near blasphemous in how absurd it sounds. Am I dreaming? It'd be a hell of a nightmare."

She chuckles. "What an interesting exclamation. I was right to believe you were rather interesting." _Blink, blink._ Did she just call me _interesting_? "Regardless, I can assure you that I am solely myself; I've come to improve relations with Lastation and its ruler, and nothing more."

Slowly lifting a gloved hand, I rub my temple, cheeks, hell, the whole face tiredly, reeling inwardly. Did she just say what I think she said? _Improving relations_? Isn't that talking about pursuing friendly standing between nations? Or am I beginning to burn out after so many days and I'm not hearing right? "...Repeat that last bit. Explain on it. Elaborate."

Purple cocks her head, an expression of perplexment on her face. "Are you not feeling well? I stated I would prefer to foster a good relationship between us, and work toward a better world for both Planeptune and Lastation."

"...That's what I thought you said. Okay, so I'm not getting too damn tired. Great. Now, why? Why Lastation for this strange decision?" I inquire, rubbing my eyes. "Really needed rest before something like this, but whatever," I mutter aloud, not really meaning to but losing the interest to really care. I can sense the fatigue peaking now at this sudden, rather preposterous proposal.

An expression of concern. Genuine concern. What the… "I apologize for the bad timing, then. I will see about hurrying this along, for both of our sakes; I haven't slept well in quite some time, either." She clears her throat, nodding. "I have thought for the last century or so that I see no reason to continue this pointless conflict, and have wanted to actively pursue a better avenue of solution rather than the deaths of my fellow Goddesses. As Lastation is the closest of Planeptune's neighbors, and as I felt you and I would have a better probability of truly connecting, I opted to pursue Lastation before the others." She smiles softly at me, causing an irritating warmth in my stomach that I grimace at. "I find you a worthwhile companion and would like to get to know you."

"...Uh… huh. So what you're saying is… you're tired of fighting for no reason, want to suddenly stop it altogether, and hoped to best do that here, with me?" Personally, aren't I the reason she hasn't made progress against the other two? Would this not just be a ploy to have a better chance at eliminating the others? "Do you realize how crazy that sounds, and why it sounds rather fishy to me?"

"I do, however I implore you to recognize that my intentions are genuine. I swear by my honor as the Goddess of Planeptune."

Sighing, I nod. "If that's the sum of it, give me a few minutes to process all of this. Goddess above, I need coffee…"

"Would you prefer I go brew some? I'm somewhat familiar with it."

"...No, but thanks anyways. I'd still prefer to not let you out of my sight," I decline, eyeing her skeptically. Why's she being so _nice_ about this? Her offer's great and all, but there _has_ to be an underlying reason to it.

"As you wish; I'll remain here, then, or perhaps I can accompany you as you do so?" she suggests, my lips pursing contemplatively.

"...I guess. Come on, then," I grumble, rising to my feet while stretching with a soft yawn. "Hyaaa…" _Snicker, snicker. "_ Eh? The hell's that about?"

"You look like a cat. It's a rather adorable sight to behold," she remarks, and I feel my face flush. _Adorable_? No one's ever said that before. Her interest is a little embarrass… wait, no, that's not the point!

"S-stop staring at me; so what if I do? Don't point out my quirks or I'll start finding yours to nitpick," I threaten, eyeing her unpleasantly.

She raises a finger to her lips, tilting her head with a smirk. "I'll have to keep those lips of yours from speaking them, then."

"A… a… _And how the hell would you do that, huh?!_ " I shout, feeling red spread across my cheeks, glaring daggers at her. "You even so much as come near me and I'll gut you, damn it!"

A chuckle. "If you can, you mean. Regardless, shouldn't we be seeing to your coffee?" she points out, smiling innocently.

Huffing, I pivot on my heel and set down the halls for the preparation area, grumbling curses. Why must I be afflicted with horrible luck, and why must it be _her_ of the three to be the first I speak to? I might be able to tolerate Green's obsession with her endowment, or White's short temper, but not the obnoxious fox.

"Do you often drink coffee?" I hear her ask from behind as we set forth into the halls.

"One could say it's my blood."

"Pfft. I'm unable to enjoy it often; tea is preferable to me."

"I would do the same, but tea can take longer and tends to relax me rather than wake me back up."

"Is that so…? I'll keep it in mind."

"And _why_ would you do that? What, are you going to drug me or something?"

"No, it's simply a musing."

"You're a pain in the ass."

She chuckles, starting up with "And your…" but quickly cuts herself off, it seems. I peer back at her with scrutiny, though she shakes her head, smirking.

"Don't you have other people to bother?" I grumble, rounding the corner into the prep area. Moving swiftly, I gather up the coffee pot, the scoops to add to the machine and the water quickly.

"Ah? No, I'm afraid that you are what I could consider as my first friend."

"...Eh? And what's this about a friend? Who the hell ever agreed to that?" I retort, squinting at her as I set the machine to start brewing after grabbing a filter for the grounds. "Isn't it a little early to be 'friends?'"

"Is it? Are you opposed? What else would we be, then?"

"Heads of nations attempting to set aside their differences and not kill each other?"

"So… friends? We don't have too many differences, I would say."

"You're really persistent about this, aren't you?"

"Of course. I'm adamant that I'd prefer to be by one another's sides."

"Don't say it like that. It gives people the wrong impression."

"We're the only two here, though?"

"It'll give _me_ the wrong impression."

"What impression would it give you?"

I pause. Does she not think about how it could be construed? Am _I_ the one overthinking it? Crap, might be. "N-nevermind."

She takes a step toward me, frowning in dismay. "I'd rather avoid speaking about things incorrectly, so would you explain?"

"...Haaah. Goddess, are you _that_ innocent? Being by another person's side is akin to romantic interest, not friendly," I explain with mild embarrassment. Surely she knew this?

"Oh? But that was obvious," she remarks.

"Then don't phrase it like that, you purple-haired idiot," I say, nodding. If she had that anticipation, why ask me, then? How frustrating. Glancing toward the coffee pot as the machine's brewing noises cease, I return my focus to Purple Heart. "Do you want any, then?"

"Hmm… I do not believe so; it might keep me awake unnecessarily."

"You ought to get some sleep too, if you're tired," I suggest. More than anything, _I_ could use the peace and quiet, but I'd also rather not be held accountable for her getting into some sort of trouble if her original intentions here are true. Should I offer her refuge here? No. I haven't even confirmed whether I should truly trust her or not. Ah, maybe I can gauge her reaction…

She smiles warily, shaking her head. "I'll forego rest until I've received proper answers from you. It wouldn't be fair for me to sleep if you have not, and I believe this will be the only proper time to push these talks."

"Why's that?" I ask, pouring myself a cup, yawning. Crap, I'm beginning to adjust to her. Stay focused! Force away the fatigue!

"Call it a personal hunch, if you will. The idea may sour in the silence, or we may end up at odds again should the other two begin operating publicly once more. I would prefer to iron out our differences and come closer before any obstacles might appear."

Shaking my head, I set the cup down and stretch. It has to cool, anyway. "I'm not nearly as unstable as White is, thank you. I'd still give it ample consideration even after sleep; it's not as though I'm adversely against a ceasefire."

"Is there any way to expedite the process, perhaps? How might I extend an olive branch faster before the end of the night?" she presses on regardless, taking another step toward me. Half-lidding my eyes at her, I run my hands through my hair, shrugging.

"I'm not sure why it _has_ to be tonight, but we can continue talking or whatever and go from there. There, does that make you happy?" Since you're making me miserable with my fatigue by now… "Or do you have further demands you want to stack on top of it all?"

A tiny giggle. "No, not currently. I am satisfied."

"Great. Now, I'm going to go sit down and enjoy this cup of coffee," I state flatly, pouring the rest of the contents into a thermos to refill it when I've finished the first. Setting off to return to the meeting room, I hear her boots clack against the floor behind me, thus answering whether I had to worry if she'd slip away.

"You're surprisingly amicable, given what you've portrayed over the years. I'm rather interested," she remarks, and I shrug at her.

"No reason to be hostile right now, is all. I still don't trust you, but I'm not going to be spiteful. You haven't gone out of your way to greatly impede me or anything, have you?"

"Not that I am able to recall; I found you too interesting to attempt any assassinations or espionage against."

"Huh, good to know, I guess - so it was Green and White, then. Makes sense, I suppose," I respond. "You really need to stop those misleading statements though. They're mildly distracting."

"Hmm, I will make the effort, though I don't see them as peculiar. Perhaps you're the only one that takes them the wrong way," she points out, a look of 'Mhm' being shot back at her. "I'm merely stating the truth."

"Sure, sure," I respond sarcastically, stopping before the door. "You'll need to open it; my hands are full."

"Hm? The door? Just a moment, then," she says, leaning toward me while gripping and twisting the handle. The door swings open for me as she stands in front of it, smiling. "I suppose leaving your hands full and needing help is a good sign, then?"

"...Ah, didn't think of that. Thanks for reminding me," I mumble, proceeding into the room before her. I hear the door click behind us as I move and set myself into the same chair as before, yawning again. "I hope you're happy," I start, shaking my head. "I'm in need of a bath and some rest, and I'm foregoing both for your demands."

"Oh? I could help you…"

"If you complete that sentence, I'll begin to distrust you for reasons besides the Console War. I'm not befriending a sexual deviant."

"It would be an innocent gesture - some cultures even consider mixed bathing a form of promoting trust and fostering good relations."

Eyeing over her, I click my tongue - she always _did_ have the slightly more pronounced figure. I hate the feeling of inadequacy. "I'll have to decline, thank you. I'd prefer to be able to relax leisurely, and you'd currently not help."

"Quite the shame, but I suppose it was fair to ask. I apologize for interrupting your relaxation. Perhaps another time, then."

"Mmm, I don't think my answer will change, but sure. So, got anything you want to discuss or iron out? Sure, we've gotten past the stage where I don't intend to slit your throat immediately, but did you have anything else past this?" I ask while drinking from the cup. Ah, bitter, bitter coffee. How I love thee. Wake me up faster, though.

She tilts her head. "I would be lying if I said I had a specific plan of action, so I will instead admit that I simply considered talking about whatever plausible."

"...Mhm… Such as?" I prompt in mounting disbelief. Is… "This just whimsy?"

Her eyes center on me, a sudden seriousness to them. "No, it isn't whimsy. I'm wholly sure of my intent. But," she pauses, nestling into the couch into a comfier position - one where her legs are somewhat tucked in against her stomach, her body resting from a shoulder on the arm of the couch, head leaning on top of all of it while she moves a single finger to trace patterns on the fabric. It's kind of cute, actually… _Knock that off._ "Topics to discuss? I hadn't considered. Let's see…"

"Goddess above, you're quite the spontaneous one."

"Should I take that as an insult?"

"No, just acknowledgment. It's not necessarily _bad_ , I suppose."

The soft smile again. "Thank you, I appreciate that to come from you."

"...Y-yeah, whatever. Think of anything yet?"

"Hmm… I've never really conversed regularly with someone else outside of my staff, admittedly." You, too, huh? I wonder if all four of us suffer from that problem. "I suppose… is your hair naturally that straight?"

"Mm? My hair? Ah, yeah," I answer, combing it with a frown. "It's fluffier than this, usually, but it's never been all that curly nor does it misbehave. I brush it often and work to keep it in good condition, though."

She nods. "It's a slower process than one might think to work with my braids, as well. Might I ask to see your shampoo later? It smelled rather nice while I was close and it seems to work well."

"You _sniffed_ me when I hadn't bathed? I'm not sure whether I should be impressed you could still smell it or be somewhat weirded out." She chuckles, shrugging awkwardly, and I sigh. "Yeah, you're about as hapless with social norms as I probably am, I guess. Fine, I'll let that one slide, and sure, I can grab you a spare bottle of the brand I use. Good for you?"

A nod. "It's more than appreciated. I also don't understand your peculiarities about catching your shampoo's scent; isn't it common for women to discuss things like this?"

"W-well, yeah, but, I'm not used to that. It's awkward."

"How so?"

"Just… just is! Stop trying to make _me_ out to be the weird one."

"That wasn't the intention."

"Well, it sure seems like it! Ask something else," I exclaim, setting the coffee down after downing the first cup, eyeing her. "And stop breaking my composure," I mutter.

"Hmm…? Well, I must admit that your citizenry seems far different from Planeptune's. Everyone here is far more serious and motivated; the atmosphere almost feels a little cold. Is that the Lastation way?"

I shrug. "My people prioritize progress, success, and economic-mindedness over all other things. I don't know much of how Planeptune operates, but we remain strong and sturdy through the sheer desire to always advance and evolve. Our work and our ability to operate comes first and foremost, always."

Her eyebrows raise. "Planeptune focuses on one another and fostering a nation where everyone can and does know one another, where no one is afraid of discrimination, of tyranny, or of anything else, really; we may not be the most industrial-minded, but we're a close-knit nation."

I nod. "That's not a bad way to go about it, though now I understand the mild culture-shock, then."

"Yes, I suppose you could call it that. So then, do you have any questions of your own?"

"Hmm… How are you so competent with your blade, if you don't mind me asking?" I start quizzically. It _has_ been on my mind for some time, actually… "While I would surely not call myself inept, I haven't seen such a graceful style apart from you."

"Hmhm, interested in that, are you? I'm afraid there is no grand story or impressive feat - I'm simply proficient, as I have been for as long as I can remember. It comes natural."

"Ehhh? How boring of an answer. Well, at least it's nothing too extraordinary, either. I wouldn't have appreciated a 'blessed sword' or anything absurd."

"No, I don't pull those from Planeptune's lands. I leave them for the adventurers making names for themselves."

"I'm glad. It's not as frustrating to lose in fair combat, I suppose."

"Oh? It frustrates you?"

"Of course it does - being second-best isn't something I enjoy swallowing. Though, that's one of only a handful of things you have me beaten at."

She smirks. "Are you sure? I don't believe you excel in any area that I do not already have mastered."

"Mhm, sure thing; you'll see if you ever challenge me to anything else. I'm not going to take second place anywhere else," I vow with a confident grin.

"So you say. Hmm… do you hold any hobbies, then?" she changes the topic as she stretches out further, yawning. What, is she going to pass out on my couch? Now that's somewhat comical.

"I… suppose? I do have time for testing some games, and I do some light reading for series published in Lastation, though I don't really have much time between my duties as a Goddess and the war," I explain, pouring more of the thermos into the cup as I stifle a yawn. Not this time; caffeine will subdue you.

She frowns. "You're that busy? That sounds somewhat peculiar; I have a handful of hours on days spent from Celestia to enjoy leisurely. Are you possibly overworking yourself?"

I wave a hand at her. "Nonsense. A Goddess' duty is to her people first. I'm working the right amount - maybe Planeptune just suffers from less problems than Lastation does."

"Perhaps you should take more breaks?"

"No; I can't afford for anything like that. I've got too much going on still. Maybe if the Console War comes to a lull, but until then…"

"Hmm… I'll see about expediting finding communication with White and Green at some point, then. I'd prefer to explore new hobbies together rather than find you constantly working."

"I'm not quite sure why you care so much about my habits - if I say it's fine, it should be fine, shouldn't it?" I question, frowning. Did I grab the wrong caffeine? Starting to feel a sleep-inducing fatigue again.

"Because I'd prefer your companionship to a neutral-party workaholic," she states flatly, shaking her head gently as she does so. "And as well, you're too pretty to remain cooped up within your Basilicom. I object wholly."

"...A-and it's all about what you want? That's selfish and unreasonable." Not that having someone to spend my days with would be unpleasant, I suppose… But why must she be so weirdly forward?

"As your first and closest friend, it is about what is best for you," she points out with a grin. "I know you better than anyone, now; you should listen to me."

"Pffft. If that's all it took, I'd already be surrounded by 'friends' and probably even a lover," I declare loftily, shaking my head. "There are plenty of citizens who would ask me about everything that encompasses who I am, though I do not consider heeding their advice. Nor their demands."

Purple Heart laughs, shaking her head. "I'll be sure to be closer to you than that; we will be good friends if not beyond, no?"

I shrug. "I don't really think I'm the type to have a 'best' friend or anything like that, but we'll see."

"Hmm… I suppose we will." She yawns again, stretching out on the leather akin to what an animal would do. "Haaaaa… Your furniture is rather comfortable."

"...Mmm, it's alright. My chambers are comfier, to be sure."

"...Are they? That sounds rather hard to believe. These couches are quite lovely and provide just enough warmth as you lay against them to be as nice as most luxurious beds I've come across."

 _Snort._ "I'll prove it to you. Come on, then. Coffee doesn't seem to be doing a damn thing for me, anyway. Maybe walking around a little more might."

Nodding silently, she rises to her feet as I do, following me. I disregard the thermos and cup, deciding it's fine to neglect for the evening as I'll likely be back for it at some point. Peering back as I open the door for us, she blinks in affirmation, seemingly more alert again now that she's up. I'm a bit better again, too. I wonder if it's just the comfort factor of this room?

We walk in moderate silence only breaking when she's asking about various things on the walls.

"How about that one?"

"It's a painting from Leonepro DaVertci as thanks for funding some of his personal research. He was good at what he did; he passed on a few centuries ago, I think?"

"And this? It's ornate carving for a baseboard."

"You can thank the expert Lastation craftsmen of old. I don't fully remember his name, but he and his daughter dedicated it to me after I saved them from a monster attack."

"Impressive. Your people adore you, I see."

"They do to an extent, I'd say. It's more-so respect; I don't interact with them often."

"Respect is still a worthwhile quality, and you are a woman worth adoring in my eyes."

"Thanks, though I'd say I'm not nearly as charismatic as you can be. Personally, I'd probably flounder a bit in your shoes - you're so damn confident it's mildly intimidating. And irritating."

"Hmhm. I have nothing to feel shame or guilt for; I live for my beliefs and my people, and nothing will impact that."

"Rather respectable. Ah… where were we going, again? You've caused me to lose track."

"Am I that distracting~? How adorable. Regardless, you wished to boast of your chamber's bed or sofa or something along those lines; comfier than the other room, supposedly."

"...Did I do that?" Crap, _that's_ terrible. I don't recall, and I have to admit, it's a little peculiar to bring a fellow Goddess to my bedroom. No, _I invited her_. "I didn't mean anything weird by it, though."

"You did. And, weird?"

"Ah, uh, nevermind. It's…"

"Do tell. I'm rather interested as to what crossed your mind."

"Uh…"

"Is it about inviting me to your room out of the blue? While we are both tired and barely trying to stay awake~? How immoral."

"S-shut up! That wasn't the intention and you damn well know it. Goddess, why ask if you already know?!"

"It's cute to harass you."

"I don't appreciate it!"

"Well, I must decline from refraining. After all…," she leans in, wrapping an arm around mine with a smirk. "You have a wonderfully red face over the silliest things~."

"Ah… ah… Get the hell off my arm before I gut you like a fish!" I shout, struggling now, but she's already latched on. Damn it, how could I forget? A _fox._ Not a small, gentle animal. A clever one.

She's too damn warm! "You seem too flustered to do so, you know. But!" She releases my arm, smiling smugly as she entwines her hands behind her. "I've had my fun for the moment. Let us finish the journey, then?"

Rubbing my arm while glaring at her doesn't seem to faze her. Sighing, I rub my temples gently. "Goddess above, this was a horrid idea. Must I?"

"It would be a waste and rather rude to refuse me after inviting me, would it not?" she points out.

"...Uuuugh. Fine, whatever. Annoying, irritating, stupid woman."

"You're beginning to act like a tsundere, you know."

"I am not. I don't act like one at all."

"Are you sure about that? And you didn't deny it."

"Very sure. And didn't deny what? I just did."

"Hmm… nevermind then."

We continue on in silence, though she suddenly seems a tad more pleased. Goddess knows why, anymore. I just need her to leave so I can go to sleep. I'm so damn tired now. Even my vision's beginning to get a little hazy here or there.

Arriving at our destination, I exhale at once, closing my eyes for a moment. Why was I not keeping aware of what I'd been saying? This has 'bad' written all over it in black ink. Peering around, I don't see any Basilicom staff, so… I guess this is my best chance to avoid strange rumors.

"Alright, come in, see it, and then let's get the hell back out. I don't need rumors about bringing fellow Goddesses to my bed."

"Why? Are you trying to find a lover? I believe it wouldn't damage your image…? In fact, it might even boost it if it spreads out of the nation."

"Are you _trying_ to make people think we're suddenly together after centuries of fighting? That'd be preposterous. And no, I've no time nor the interest in anyone. Mortals die eventually, as well. Why would I put myself through that?"

"...You make a valid point. I hadn't exactly considered that before. That is a rather… tragic statement."

"It's true. I've been there for every single Basilicom staff's death as well as the funerals of various citizens. It's never getting any easier. I'm not willing to do that to my heart."

She doesn't continue this conversation as I lead her inside, shutting the door quickly behind us. Watching her walk about with as much interest as a kitten in new territory, I smile softly at the absurdity of seeing the great Purple Heart like this, and then sit back on the wide L-shaped couch in the corner of the room. Yawning, I stretch comfortably and watch her while laying down.

"Your room seems so plain, yet it also seems awfully cozy," she remarks, looking over everything. It's true - I set this room up akin to a small apartment, really; a seating area from where I'm situated, a corner designated with a large television for gaming, a reading corner, and then my bed in the final corner. Between these are rooms leading off into a small pantry, my washroom, and a closet, as well.

"Of course. I set it up with the intent of enjoying myself in here when I'm not working or in Celestia. What did you expect?"

"It's so… functional. But it could use more color."

"Color?" I ask, somewhat surprised.

She turns, smiling at me. "I'll have to bring you some items from Planeptune. This room deserves brightness; it's too monotone."

"Lastation is the center of monotone, industry, and plainly efficient. I don't need to fill it with anything…"

"I'm not adhering to leaving it so bleak. You will accept."

"...Whatever. Do as you wish," I wave at her, shaking my head while grabbing a pillow from off to my side, bringing it against me to hold. "Are you going to explore every inch of my chambers, then?"

"Of course; it was quite a feat just being invited in here. Why would I leave immediately?" Her eyes catch on me while she surveys everything, and she snickers quietly. Only while sleepily glaring daggers at her does she respond, "You're looking so comfortable, I found it precious."

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up."

She continues poking about, though past a certain point I cannot find myself to really care. If she were after my life, I'd of noticed it quite some time ago. She's an overly trusting idiot that seeks my trust in turn - fine, she can have it. I don't really care anymore. I'll give her the chance she wishes, I suppose.

I watch her disappear into the washroom, and then feel the weight of my eyelids finally close shortly thereafter.

So… this is what she's… like, then…

* * *

Returning from examining the rather luxurious, extensive array of soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and the marble-encased room it sits in, I yawn quietly, rolling my shoulders. Black Heart's tastes are expensive, to be sure, but she isn't tacky in this respect, I would state. In fact, I might ask for her input at a later time after I've wholly won her approval.

I should likely finally do what I agreed to - it's unwise to push my stay in here on the first night. "Black, which were you going to recommend to…," I trail off as I twist my torso around, blinking in surprise.

She's asleep; her snow white hair curls loosely around her face, her arms wrapped around a pillow while cradling it against her body, which in turn is snuggled tight into the corner. Blinking further, I cock my head curiously. Is she actually sleeping, or is this a test of my loyalty to my vow?

No, surely not. She looks too restful and content to be on guard. It's actually a sight far beyond adorable; the girl looks far gentler when she's not awake and alert. Chuckling at this stark contrast, I peer about for a few moments, pondering.

When I'd first arrived here, I hadn't anticipated her to extend such a courtesy so as to allow me to remain here without a struggle; even less did I expect her to properly listen to my requests and humor me up until now. It's a stroke of luck, more than anything, or perhaps it was beyond fruitful to find her in a near-comatose fatigue. I almost feel guilty for taking advantage of that fact to push for a better standing with one another before she finally fizzled out.

Almost.

She's a far more interesting Goddess than I'd already expected - a pleasure to spend time with and a wonderful girl to tease and, unbeknownst to her, pursue. She's so cute, why wouldn't I claim her for myself? I'd considered it over the centuries, but this night confirms it. Even beyond an armistice, I've found something actively worth fighting for.

Not that dealing with Green and White are going to be easy, however. In fact, one might even say I anticipate them to be rather thorny of women to convince. Though, two Goddesses to one should make them listen more, I'd hope.

Her chest rises and falls softly behind the pillow. Feeling compelled, I gingerly lower myself onto the couch beside her, observing her with interest. They say that wild animals don't sleep before those they distrust, so perhaps I've assuredly been accepted?

I couldn't entirely tell from what I presumed to be things she thought she was thinking, but I'd made adequate progress from what I pieced together. Imagine that; a Goddess unknowingly speaking her thoughts to someone she didn't even fully trust - a severe fatigue I'm somewhat glad to have been the only one to witness.

A lock of stray snow-white hair falls before her face, and I smile, lifting a finger to brush it back into place - no reaction. She's out cold, then.

Yawning, I stretch silently, shaking the tiredness from my head. I suppose I will refrain from doing anything drastic to her while she sleeps, and I would rather not leave her unattended, so… perhaps requisitioning her bed is within order. Surely she won't take too poorly to this; I won't impede her sleep and I won't be too close to startle her.

But I cannot muster the energy to rise to my feet. In fact, watching her, I'd rather not even move. A predicament, to be sure, though… I glance down toward the end of the other half of the couch that I'm currently sitting on; perhaps I can simply lay my head here…?

Yes, I think I will. After all, if she is fine enough to sleep before me, then I won't hesitate in putting faith in sleeping here as well. Shifting as carefully as possible so as to not stir her, I lower myself onto the other half of the 'L' shape of the couch, my muscles aching in pleasant satisfaction at my decision. Grabbing the cushion from near where my feet lay, I prop my head up on top of it, snuggling into the warm fabric with one final yawn.

Yes; this girl and I, come Hell, high water, or the whole of any span of Gamindustri, will stand together and remain together.

* * *

 **Aaaand, done! I'd considered making this into a flat-out story, but I wouldn't be able to maintain enthusiasm to do so since I feel myself fading pretty fast at the moment. I'd rather post something I'm content with than overextend and get the same feeling Broken Bonds welled up inside me. It wasn't a great feeling, to be honest! But, maybe I'll come back to this or _nom_ it out of these to be its own story if I feel up to it at some point. We'll see! I want to get back to other stories soon, actually!**

 **I like the concepts of dynamics between Purple and Black specifically. I struggled a bit writing their word usage as I haven't really practiced their Heart forms in a while, but I** _think_ **I did alright. Console War adds endless plausibilities, too, you know!**

 **Yeah. Maybe I'll work on something to continue this with at a later time. For now, it'll sit here instead, though.**

 **That's about it, though! Been bumbling along and getting back into the swing of things, so all is going pretty well! Expect to see more of me because I'm a stubborn soul and when I get back to writing, I just don't stop!**

 **Tainted out!~**


	44. Shot 44! Dozing Reprieve

**Taste airy, somewhat sleepy fluff!~**

* * *

"Haaaah… haaah," I yawn softly into my hand, small tears welling in the corners of my eyes as I snuggle down into the covers, fatigue washing over me. Returning my second hand to the small laptop before me, my legs kick gently behind me methodically. Leaning my head side to side, I stretch the muscles in my neck and yawn yet again before shaking away the fatigue, my lips curling upward.

Downtime is nice; after a long week, spinning down while idly messing around with the toys strewn about my room is rather pleasant. We've reached another high for the month, showing unprecedented growth in economic stature and a slight increase in Shares, leaving me time to indulge in leisure for a short spell.

 _Tmp, tmp, tmp, tmp._

What's th… oh, damn it, _no…_

The door flings itself open, slamming hard against the wall with a bang as the cause of this action stands in confident, content splendor in the doorway, beaming at me. "Noiiiire!" she shouts, and I wince, eyeing her with mixed feelings.

"Yeah, hello, Neptune. Couldn't you just… make your way here like a normal person?" I grumble, closing the lid on my laptop while rolling over onto my back and then lifting myself up into a sitting position to get a better look at her. "Ah… you're in pajamas."

Lavender-pink jagged and fluffy spikes atop a small, thin girl cloaked in plain, straight purple pajamas with a tiny pocket on the left side of the chest. She tilts her head, her expression not changing as she glosses over me, taking steps into the room. "Well, yeah! I've come to spend some time with ya'. Aren't ya' ahead of everything or whatever?"

I blink, nodding slowly in confusion. "Well… yeah, Lastation's got some time to unwind. I'm surprised you already heard about it," I comment. When did she discover that? I'm not sure even half of the staff had been briefed yet after our evening meeting where the fact was first discovered.

She pats her chest with pride, shutting the door behind her. "I'm just good like that, obviously! So, whatcha' doing?" she asks, climbing onto the bed while eyeing me. There's something in her gaze, but I can't really discern what it is, nor do I really feel like it right now.

Right now, I want some serene quiet and some proper rest and relaxation. Alright, time to rein her in before I lose either.

"Trying to have a peaceful and comfortable night. The less noise the better if you're going to hang about. I'm not up for the usual," I declare, sighing. "That can wait for after I've recuperated some of my energy. I'm exhausted."

She nods. "Got it, got it. I'll quiet down a bit and help ya' while I hang out here. What were ya' doing on the laptop?" she inquires, apparently having immediately taken note of it. Damn her for being observant.

"Eh… just browsing at the moment. I might read or watch something on it, to be honest. I'm not too sure yet," I explain, rolling back over to stretch out again, yawning. "Haaah… sorry."

A chuckle from her. "That's fine! It's kinda' adorable. Hmmm…" Movement from beside me, meaning she's moving closer as the sensation of her hands fiddling with my ribbons comes, and then shortly thereafter I feel the restrictions put upon my 'tails' release. Her fingers run through it, a rather satisfying comfortability to the action coming to me, a pleased sigh escaping me before I can stop it. "Aha, ya' like this, then?"

"Rr… maybe a bit. Why are you doing that, though?" I question, turning my head slightly to eye her behind me. She's sitting up, practically _on_ me as she combs my hair, her eyes sparkling with what looks like satisfaction. "Ah, whatever. I'm not going to deprive you if you're not going to be a pest. Do whatever you want."

Laughter. "Thank you, ma'am!"

Flipping open the small notebook again, I log in and resume browsing through various images on one of the many boards stretched across the internet, blinking sleepily. "So, are you in trouble with Histoire, or did you just come here because you could?"

"Mmm… I came here 'cause I could. Histy's busy with fretting about something, though I haven't asked what it is yet," she replies, her hands still feeling rather great. Goddess, when did she get so good at working with hair? I don't recall ever seeing her do much with her own.

"Is there any idea if it's serious?"

"...Nah, can't be. She'd of screamed about it and gotten all of us together to talk about it if it was. Maybe some reforms or maybe she's just stressing herself out or something. I dunno'."

"You really ought to know what's going on in your city more, I swear," I mutter, exhaling gently. "But, whatever, I'm not going to nag you right now. When'd you get so good at that?"

"Eh?"

"The hair. I don't remember you caring much about it until lately. Now you've been playing with mine a lot more."

"...Well, it just sorta' happened, I guess? I mean, a girl's gotta' care about her image sometimes, right?" she answers, though I sense there's something being masked beneath it. Or is that the fatigue? Goddess, who cares. It's Neptune of all people.

"...I guess I'll accept that answer. Oh, has Nepgear been alright?" I suddenly inquire, thinking back. "Uni's seemed more flustered than usual and I've heard raised voices from time to time; are they getting along, or do you not know?"

Her hands stop for what I think is a shrug. "Hard to say; I'm not really trying to mother hen them, ya' know? They're responsible gals. Especially Nepgear."

"Pffft. Nepgear is a model younger sister, but Uni's perfection. Still, I suppose you're right," I yield, taking a deep breath. "Well, back to browsing."

"Mm. Your hair's really well cared for."

"Thanks; I'm a bit particular about it, so I appreciate someone else noticing. Do you want some recommendations for yours?"

"Whaddya' mean?"

"I've got various brands I've experimented with for the best results. I could try to find one for you to improve the health of your head, too. It won't stop you from getting hit by monsters or anything like that, but it'll feel and look better."

She laughs. "I'm perfectly fine when it comes to monsters anyway! But, I'll take ya' up on that offer later. I'm kinda' comfortable right now," she states.

"If you say so, I won't push any further," I respond, nodding as I click onto a second tab. "Mind if I play some music?"

"Hm? Nah. Just make sure it's not bad."

"As if I've got poor taste in anything."

"Well…"

"Shut up, or I'll _make_ you shut up."

"Well, whaddya' gonna' put on?"

"An instrumental of some sort, maybe? Something nice but maybe a bit upbeat so I don't fall asleep."

"Hmm… are ya' that sleepy?"

"A bit. I'm definitely tired, to say the least."

"Huh. You shouldn't push yourself so hard all the time."

"Eh. It's not _that_ bad. I do enough to ensure it's all done and ready for release and then get downtime later like this, so what's it matter? Plus, you interrupt me if I apparently spend too much time on it anyway, so I can't really say I don't get reprieves."

A gasp. "You mean you _enjoy_ my check-ups? Where's the tsun for all this dere?"

Rolling my eyes, I don't bother responding, clicking on some relatively upbeat instrumental pop music. Unsurprisingly, I hear Neptune immediately begin humming along with it - a testament to something, though I disregard the effort required to pinpoint exactly what that might be. "You know this one, then?" is all I ask.

"Mm-mm-mmmmm, mm-mm… Yeah! You didn't? It plays on the radios often."

"Do I _look_ like I listen to the radio often?"

"Do you just work in silence then? Careful, I might have to bug ya' daily if you say yes."

"...Nooooo, I blast heavy metal while I work."

"I'll be making daily check-ups."

"Damn it."

We both laugh gently together for a few moments before only the music and Neptune's humming hang in the room, and I feel myself lull into an exceptionally comfortable mood. Drowsy, even; I could _definitely_ get used to cozy moments like these.

"Hey, Noire."

"...Mmm?" I respond lazily, leaning into her hands. Goddesses, I hope she's not going to stop; it's such a wondrous feeling.

"Want a massage? I think I'm pretty good at those," she suggests, and I move my head to glance back at her. She smiles nervously, and I blink skeptically.

"You think you're good at them? Like how you're combing my hair good, orrr…?"

"Mm… better?"

"That's pretty good, then… Go ahead, I don't really care," I say, lifting a hand to wave at her. "Just… stay there. Nice and comfy."

Gentle chuckling. "Fine, fine. I wasn't going to go anywhere, anyway."

"Nice. Glad to have a nice night together. They're great." What the heck am I saying? I mean, it's not wrong, but why do I always get a bit more chatty when I'm drowsy? Eh… she won't really care.

Her hands slide up to my back as she shifts her weight on top of my back - surprisingly lightweight, considering how many sweets she ingests - as she begins running her fingers along my back and shoulders before pressing into them. I shift at first, a minute amount of alertness returning at the brief period of pain, though it rapidly escalates into a more satisfying sensation, and I settle back down.

"Sorry, did that hurt?"

"Ah… only a bit. It's not too bad now. Be gentler, though."

"Got it. Want me to massage or just… do that rubbing thing?"

"Rubbing thing? The heck's with that…?"

She laughs. "This," she says, before just barely running her fingers along my neck and back, a very gingerly, soft and more than pleasing touch resulting. Letting out a tiny sigh in approval, I hear her chuckle. "Yep, I'll do this then."

"Mm. It's good."

The song in the background ends off, a rather serene silence settling as I move the computer off to the side while Neptune does whatever she's doing to my back. I notice vaguely that whenever she elicits a noise from me, she continues on that area until I quiet down and then moves on elsewhere, her fingerwork becoming more precise and her movements more focused. She shifts a little on my back, and I frown. "Mmm… if you're getting uncomfortable, you can move…"

"Nope. I'm alright," she immediately replies, even before I fully finish. The heck? "Ah, sorry, that came off a little harsh."

Shrugging, I settle into the plush comforter more. "It's whatever. I'm just gonna' sit here 'n not worry about you as much, then." Stretching a little, I yawn. "Aren't you gettin' bored, though…?"

"Not really! I'm enjoying myself."

"...Neh. You're acting a bit weird, but fine. Have it your way, or whatever."

My eyes droop a little, my attention shifting to the clock on my nightstand. It's a little past midnight - not usually all that late for me, but then again, I'm lounging and it's quiet. Maybe I need some caffeine or something. "Y'want some tea or anything, Neptune…?"

"Hmmm…," she stops for a few moments, instead playing with my hair again while she formulates a response. Her hands are nice and warm. "I'm alright, though are ya' falling asleep? It's okay if you do."

I lift my head, pouting. "Nooo. It'd be rude to pass out. I need to wake back up a little, so… move."

"Nope! You just sit right there and get some sleep, missie. You could definitely do with more of it."

"Who the heck made you boss, huh…? I'm the host, so you should move for me so I can do my job…"

"I refuse! I'm gonna' look after ya' and make ya' get some proper rest like you first said you wanted, and that's that."

"Moooove…"

"I'll transform if you don't behave," she threatens, and I shake my head. Do I _want_ to deal with Purple Heart Neptune right now…? I dunno'. I wonder if she'd be better at whatever it is she's doing? Huh.

"Pffft. I'm not scared of you."

"Oooh? Is that supposed to be a challenge?"

I snort. "Dunnooo'~. I'm just too comfortable to care."

"Hmmm… maybe I should tickle you."

"Rrrm… touch me anywhere weird and I'll… kill you."

"Where's somewhere weird~?"

"You know where, you… dolt."

She giggles again, though says nothing. The only sounds moving through the room after this are our breathing, my laptop's fan gently humming, and the wall-mounted clock above the door ticking. Rolling my head back and forth to the _tick, tock, tick, tock_ of the clock, I hear Neptune yawn quietly and smirk sleepily.

"Someone's getting tiii~red~."

"Hey, now. It's quiet and you're warm and your hair and skin are soft. I'll make ya' into my pillow if you aren't careful."

"...Your funeral, when I get the energy to get up and deal with you."

"Ya' wouldn't harm lil' old me."

"...Probably not, but don't… take advantage of that."

"Never! I adore ya' too much~."

"Uh-huh… whatever you say."

After a few moments, her weight shifts as she sprawls out on top of me, and I begin to grumble. "Shh, shh, I'll keep petting you, so relax~." While I'm about to try and argue that that isn't the point, her fingers gently graze along my arms as her hot breath hits my neck, and I stiffen, shifting. "Oh~? Noire, what a cute reaction."

"Shuuut up. Stop doing… weird things," I scold her, sinking further into the bed as fatigue overwhelms me. "So tired of… your teasing."

The fluffiness of her hair leaves my neck, meaning her head raises. "Teasing?"

"...Yeah… Make up your mind already, it's… frustrating." What the heck am I…? Ah, whatever. It's sleepy rambling. "...I ought to really just… sleep. Don't pay me any mind…"

"...Eh? Ah, wait…," she starts up, though I've already decidedly submitted willingly to the comfortable warmth she and the bed have provided me. To hell with all of it, I'll just take the moment as it isss~...

"Noiiiire… I…"

* * *

 **I'll be doing more stuff still, just did this as I've been half-in, half-out on the dozing cozy factor all day and felt like applying it to some writing, too.**

 **Got stuff to do, and life's kept me busy as well as friends, but I'm still about and have plenty of things I want to write and fluff on with. So, with that said, onward until next time!**

 **Tainted out!~**

 _and on a side-note, i've become startlingly aware of how i manage to typically be an author of practically nothing but fluffy warm, not sure if i'll ever bother to correct it since it's so cozy i could just snuggle up in all the random warm floof that comes to mind on a constant basis._ insert shrug here

Ah well, more Purple and Black / Nep and Nowa can never go wrong.~


	45. Shot 45! A Moment's Reflection

**Hello, hello! Tainted here with something short 'n brief!**

 **Have... _fluff_!**

 **Onward!**

* * *

"Mmmh…"

Her eyes squint unhappily as her consciousness stirs, a groggy sense flooding over her immediately. She shakes her head slightly, nuzzling as she exhales deeply, her mind spinning up akin to a computer would as it boots up, though the process felt exceedingly sluggish as she was just so darn tired…!

Her fingers grip into the cloth material, and she takes a breath, sighing. It seems her body refuses any further sleep as her haziness is fading rapidly, though perhaps it's for the best. Eyelids beginning to part, she blinks, her pupils flicking to and fro - it's dark, very dark.

Somewhere in the dead of night, since the curtains aren't thick enough to block proper sunlight. So, a fitful sleep, then. How irksome, she muses, clicking her tongue silently. Though, it could be attributed to centuries of poor sleeping habits and excessively unhealthy work schedules, so she really only has herself to blame.

Her eyes roll to what she clings to, however, as she smiles. The unexpected stirring isn't all bad - she has time to appreciate… _her._

Even after the last year or two, it would still sometimes be hard to believe - that she could be clinging to her own tee draped far too baggily over the smaller form of the girl slumbering somewhat haphazardly beside her. Messy lavender hair lay in tangled and chaotic spikes around her pale face, her mouth hanging open as she snores quietly, her hands strewn across her chest and up to the bed above, their legs both tangled together in a web of sorts.

The girl chuckles, moving an arm so she could run her fingers along her sleeping partner's cheek, a brilliant smile on her face as the latter shakes slightly at the ghosting touch, muttering something incomprehensible. She was one of those who could sleep through even alarms blaring, which was fortunate for the girl as she had quite a few to ensure she would rise from the bed to return to her work each day… though, only if the other female would let her. Some days, she would cling to her arms, refusing to budge, and it made the raven-haired woman wonder whether she was actually awake and merely feigning deep sleep to keep her there.

Not that she minded. Immortality was permanent, so a few hours here or there weren't all that taxing - they allowed for her to rest more than she had in the past, anyway, so it wasn't a loss on any front except national progression… and that didn't really matter, as the four nations were at peace.

Though, this also meant she had _two_ nations weighing on her, as she took over the work after Histoire decided she had had enough with the slumbering girl's antics. A minor loss, all things considered - she basically ran the two nations as one, so it wasn't a major predicament.

Instead, she constantly recalled the day of where the girl slyly mentioned her feelings, to which she herself flustered and stuttered, and her partner simply smiled and decided enough was enough and pressed the topic… earning a rather embarrassing and quiet confession. The rest progressed as any could expect; the more forward, lavender-haired ball of energy and confidence took the initiative, pressed their bodies and lips together, and set their relationship ablaze without any further banter or discourse on the matter.

A vivid memory, as the warmth of her skin against the girl's own was almost too hot to bear - the softness of her lips, the gentleness she showed as she didn't just utterly engulf and claim her, but kept pace to allow her time to acclimate and return her half of the overflowing affection they shared, as well as the consistent happy throb of both chests, chests beating at astronomically loud and fast rates. She was just as timid and shy, though she was far more stubborn and brave than the red-eyed Goddess, which was something that the twin-tailed girl was more than happy for.

She couldn't describe her joy - having the girl she had always adored and yearned for as her own, being adored and loved to the same extent, an extent that burned more brilliantly than a thousand suns, to sleep and wake up beside her every day, to expose her heart and her love at will and to have it reciprocated constantly… it was infinite; everything that might trouble her or sadden her were made moot and useless in their endeavors. She felt invincible, she felt _whole_.

And it was all thanks to this lavender-haired dolt who won her heart many, many years ago. She smirks as she pokes at her cheek, earning a sleepy grumble about how she shouldn't bully the Nep, or something. Not that she actually would - she snuggles closer, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl, pressing their bodies together as she soaks up the warmth and closeness of the two.

It was her right to lay here and ogle and enjoy her existence, wasn't it? It wasn't wrong or twisted, and no one could take it from her. No, she wouldn't _let_ anyone take it from her. This silly, brazen, danger-prone and spontaneous-yet-lazy fool was her own to be tied to, to be hopelessly in love with, to remain beside for however long an eternity could be.

And it would never end. She was giddy with glee. Even her antics of interrupting work and teasing her, while plenty diminished and replaced with far more affectionate but still slightly embarrassed gestures, were pleasant. Nothing could change her opinion of it, and it certainly didn't diminish with time as some people said it might. She adored her the same as she did from day one, unchanging, unyielding.

Goddesses were eternal, and this happiness, this brilliance, wouldn't end. The raven-haired CPU would be sure to never let it be so, to the very end, and she knew her partner wouldn't stand for it, either.

Come hell, high water, or whatever waited in the endless other dimensions seeking to spread chaos and disorder to their land, they would be united as one against whatever came their way.

And, by Goddesses, she wouldn't have it any other way. She smiles, pressing her lips through the lavender fluff to her cheek as she hugged her closer, muttering quietly…

"Neptune… I love you~."

* * *

 **It's short, yeah, but I'm just in a bubbly mood and I just churned this out after sitting on the idea for four days. I've not been in a great mood recently and I've been demotivated so writing's been... not happening? It'll probably pick up again after this though. So, yeah!**

 **Expect more by Christmas, especially. Holiday cheer must come!**

 **Wishing you all cool and warm thoughts alike during the holiday season, though. :)**

 **Tainted out!~**


	46. Shot 46! Words Unspoken

**'Ello, 'ello! Tainted here. Have another short fluffiness. Expect more of these at a more consistent rate again - getting myself back into things with vigor. Figure a schedule of writing each morning before I get to a routine I'm kicking up for myself should be good. Anyway!**

[UPDATED!] You'll find the latter half that I'd mentioned I might do in here, now, as well - marked, too.

 **Onward!~**

* * *

Prying my eyes open slowly, minor fatigue washes over me as if attempting to keep me bedridden. A gentle tug of dreamland once more lingers over my mind like a cloud of smoke might in a room burning, though I shift my head against the pillow, lifting it slightly. Peering over at the digital alarm to my left on my nightstand… Four-thirty-two. If my alarms haven't gone off, that's the early morning, isn't it? Well then…

Yawning quietly, I rise from my sheets and covers, stretching my arms over my head, squeezing my eyes shut as I puff my chest out while doing so, enjoying the sensation to some degree for a few moments before I lower my shoulders, rolling them. Raising a finger to rub away the remnants of sleepiness from my eyes, I roll my head back and forth now, muscles making sounds of both approval and displeasure.

"Ah, mornin', Noire."

...Mm? I blink, looking over to the source, taking note of… Neptune, sitting before my personal television, playing… ah, what was the name of that game again? I can't really recall, though I don't really care right now… but, the volume seems to be muted as the bright pictures flash in direct contrast to the otherwise dark room.

That could explain why it's easier to see in the room right now, I guess. Huh. Why was Neptune here, again…? I search my mind as I nod sleepily at her, hearing her chuckle under her breath, though opt not to say anything for a few more minutes until I'm a tiny bit more alert.

Let's see, think, Noire, think… Most of my days are a blur of paperwork or different faces coming and going to talk about new policies and projects for Lastation, some moments of interacting with K-Sha, Uni, and then the others here or there for tea or business meetings - a partnership with Lowee for our next game release should be interesting, I recall, hm… Ah, yeah, right. Neptune showed up yesterday and wanted to spend the night and hang out, promising she wouldn't be too intrusive or loud, though I wasn't going to refuse her anyway. So… she's been up since then? Or did she get sleep? Blinking away the fatigue as best I can, I focus on her with a frown.

"G… morning, Neptune… How long've you been awake?" I ask slowly, noticing the sleepiness in my tone. It's not too severe, but I'd certainly have preferred… ah, whatever. It's Neptune; does it really matter to me?

...Yeah, it does, but it doesn't. Go with the latter, damn it.

She cocks her head, hitting the pause button as she spins on the floor to turn her attention to me, a wide smile on her face as she waves a hand at me. "Not all night, don't worry! I just woke up early, but wasn't gonna' wake ya', so I'd figured it'd be good to kill time and play something. You've got quite a few more games since the last time I dropped by," she comments, glancing over at the shelves now brimming with titles. I don't have the heart to tell her that most of them were actually just in Uni's room from all her game nights with the other Candidates, though I suppose a few of them are new releases that I'd wanted…

I shrug nonchalantly, though. "Just… as long as you're not developing Vert's habits. We don't need another Goddess binging weeks at a time in their gaming," I mutter, and watch Neptune visibly shudder at the thought.

"She's inhuman, man," she responds, and I snicker.

"We're technically inhuman, too, you know," I remind her, and she shakes her head as her lips curl up. She really does have a nice smile - it pairs well with the fluffy, albeit messy hair and wide, sparkling eyes. Ah, crap, damn it, I don't need to think about this. Shove that aside.

"Yeah, but, that's a talent that doesn't come naturally with being a CPU, ya' know? I don't think it'd be good to binge all those energy drinks. Maybe I could do it with snacks, though?" she wonders aloud, apparently actually thinking and considering the matter.

"Please don't. You'd bankrupt yourself and give both Nepgear and Histoire a heart attack, and me a headache by extension." She blinks, looking at me, perplexed. Ah, have to elaborate. Right. "I'm always looking after you when things go awry, aren't I? It'd fall to me to drag you out of those bad habits if and when they can't. Again."

"...Pffft," she starts, laughing as she runs a hand through her hair, scratching her scalp absentmindedly. "Guess I never thought about it that way. Ya' do care quite a lot, huh?"

Care? I glance away, shaking my head. "O… only when I have to. It'd reflect poorly on the rest of us for one of the four of us to have notably bad habits and shirk work… more than usual. Vert hides it better than you do, and Blanc… doesn't have to do as much," I explain with a soft chuckle, unintentionally amused at the soft jab at the latter. She really should get newer software instead of just piling on reiterations and updates to her long-running series, but to each Goddess their own, I guess.

"...Huh," she responds with a smile, her eyes shifting to the clock. "Oh, wow," her eyebrows rise as she scratches her cheek, "it's… really early after all, huh? I didn't really notice."

Glancing back at it, the time's now four-forty-six. Barely changed. I nod, though, returning my attention to her. "It really is. That's why I'm somewhat worried about you being up already," I admit with a grimace. It doesn't hurt or isn't weird to show some concern, right? Yeah. It shouldn't be - she is a friend after all. "When'd you go to bed? I'd really rather not be to blame for you running yourself down and getting sick again or anything."

Visions of her pulling all-nighters while whittling away days here from time to time float to the forefront of my mind, only to recall her either being bedridden at Planeptune or here in a guest room with some sort of illness or from accumulated fatigue. I'm never sure if it's really worth it to her, but she keeps doing it and I can't say I mind her company most days - even if she's a pain in the ass when I try to work. It's probably good, though; she doesn't outwardly express most of what she thinks or does, always mingling with her people and looking after them personally when she's able. We all have our approaches, I suppose, but it'd really be better for her to come forward about it instead of writing it off as just shirking work. Even if that's half of it. Histoire might run her a little less ragged in fits if she knew.

Would she, actually? I'm not sure. She's not cruel, but it isn't really supposed to be the main responsibility of a Goddess, so… it's iffy. Maybe I should interact with my populace more. I'll make a note of it later as a reminder.

Neptune laughs, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it! I went to bed around the time you did - it was like, eleven something. It was an alright amount of sleep, I swear!"

Closing an eye while skeptically scrutinizing her for any signs of deceit on the matter, it seems like she's telling the truth. Goddess, it's a pain to try and sift through that expression of hers sometimes, but I guess I'll believe her. I reach back with a hand, running it through my hair… Ah, wait, I don't have my ribbons in. Right, I just woke up. What am I even…?

Glancing down, I find myself in my pajamas, though my shirt's haphazard and not buttoned properly. Did I fall asleep like this…? Damn it, I'm always too tired or too distracted by the time I head to sleep - too many things to keep track of. I should divert some work or take less on… but then, what would I do with all the free time?

"Whatcha' thinkin' about?" Neptune asks, and I blink, drawing from my thoughts. She's gazing at me with wonder, and I find the curious expression of a bed-head Neptune to be rather cute. I hadn't paid it mind before, but her hair gets even fluffier after sleep. It's comical.

Ah, right. A reply. "Just noticing how I looked as I slept. Making a note to be less distracted before I head to bed each night since it looks bad to wake up like this," I remark, fixing my clothing as I yawn again, shaking my head of the sleepiness gnawing at me. "I'm surprised you're not tired," I say, stretching again. "It's so quiet and dark in here, I'm starting to fall asleep again."

"Eh, just thinkin' about stuff. Sleep'd just waste time I could spend hangin' out with you 'n playing games and all the fun stuff," she replies, though her tone suddenly sounds distant. I raise an eyebrow, wondering.

She really has been acting a little off recently. She's always been Neptune'esque, but she seems… a little different, since the Kurome incident. I don't entirely know why, though I've pondered whether she's actually been jealous of more people being around me than before. I've got quite a few more faces in my life now, so is she worried that I'm going to talk to her less and less, or something?

I mean, it's possible, but this is Neptune. Surely, she'd understand that I'm not going anywhere, right? I mean, we're all Goddesses of allied nations, we're all friends, and she and I are particularly close. Maybe not as… No, no, put that thought down right there. Haaah. Stupid brain. But, should I say something? Or should I just leave her be? If I'm wrong, I'd look self-centered or just like an idiot, and I'd prefer not to do that. Though, she sometimes appears so melancholy behind that perpetual smile…

Haaah. The things I'll consider for her.

"Hey, Neptune," I start, seeing her stir from her thoughts as she gazes up at me, curiosity in her purplish-pink eyes. "Come sit up here with me for a minute, I actually kinda' wanted to talk."

"...Talk? I mean, we're talking now, but, alright," she responds in minor confusion, complying anyway as she slowly draws herself to a standing position, giving me a moment to look at her.

She's in a plain white shirt that's just a bit too big for her, and it takes me a moment to realize that it's actually one of mine - did I offer her it last night? I don't like her sleeping in the same clothes she goes out in, sure, but…? Ah, maybe. Who the hell knows; it's a satisfying sight regardless, I guess. But is she wearing any pants? I squint at this observation, both curious and afraid to ask - should I ask? I mean, 'Are you wearing pants?' Yeah, great idea not to, Noire. That'd get you some strange looks.

"...So, what's up?" she asks. She sets herself down onto the bed gingerly, and I take a deep breath, steeling myself - this'll be so damn embarrassing if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. And it's my job as her friend and fellow Goddess to make sure there's no distance growing, right? This can be swept under the rug if I'm wrong… Ah, just go with it!

Moving a little closer, I wrap an arm around her while the other rises, resting on her head as I pat it gently, hugging her close. I hear her inhale sharply, and I know my face is bright red, but I swallow my embarrassment, deciding to continue with this venture. She's so warm, though. "Neptune, just… needed to let you know that, if you're worried, I'm… not going anywhere, alright? I don't know what's gotten you down recently," I pause, petting her head, the fluffy, fuzzy hair running along my palm tickling me slightly, "but I wanted to tell you that I'm here. You're… my best friend, and that's not going to change, no matter what."

An inhale again at this sentence, one of her hands grabbing onto my arm before just sitting there as she leans back against me, exhaling deeply. I can't tell if this is good or bad, but decide it best to just remain like this for a few minutes. She doesn't say anything for the time, though I listen to her slow, rather relaxing breathing, her fingers on my arm clutching more tightly here or there as she probably mulls over her own thoughts.

"...You… promise?" she finally mentions after however long, her head turning slightly so she can set her eyes on me sideways. I see them trembling a little, and smile - I guess I was right, then. "You're… not drifting away, then?"

A quiet laugh. "I promise, Neptune. I'm not going anywhere. Too many reasons to stick around, plus, we'd have some major diplomatic problems if I did, now wouldn't we?" I comment, and she exhales at once in amusement, nodding slowly. "Though, could you do me a favor and actually… you know… vocalize these sorts of things? I've been worried over something dumb, it seems."

"...Pfft… sorry. Stop mentioning my bad habits when I can't pick on yours," she grumbles with a genuine grin, and I smirk. There's a good start. "Hey…?"

"...Hm? What's up?" I respond airily, rather comfortable with the closeness and warmth she's giving off. She's quite cozy to hug - she'd make a good pillow to snuggle up with. Maybe I should make her…

"...Thanks. Though, you know… you're holding onto me quite closely, Noire~," she starts up, her grin becoming mischievous as she eyes me with playful intent. I roll my eyes, yawning.

"Ssshhhut up," I grumble, decidedly set on falling asleep while holding onto her now. I've earned it, right? She can just tolerate it. "You're gonna' lay down here with me while I sleep so I can steal your warmth," I declare, pulling her down before she can react.

"...Eh? Wha-! Nepu?! You can't just…!" she starts to object, but I close my eyes with a soft smile, shaking my head.

"I juuu~st did. You need sleep too," I state, hearing her make a sound of surprised… sheepishness, I think? Like a child caught red-handed. "So just… bear with it an' let me sleep. You… owe me that for makin' me… worry."

"...Urrr… but…"

"No buts," I mutter, snuggling closer to her. Maybe it's the sleep making me brave and fearless, or maybe I feel closer to her - like she might… feel the same, right now. She's not actually fighting me, either, so… "You're gonna' just… be here with me, and that's… that."

"...F… fine. Just don't drool on me," she grumbles, and I smirk but say nothing as I press my face into her fluffy hair, breathing slowly. She smells kind of nice, even after sleeping. I could get used to this… "N… Noire?"

"...Mm? What…?" My consciousness is at the edge, flickering, though I feel her shift around in my arms, moving herself to have her body face mine. Her head tilts upward, my chin now resting on her forehead. "Movin'... too much…," I scold, though she doesn't seem to hear me.

"...I…," she starts, hesitating.

"...Mm?"

"...N… nothin'. I'll tell ya' later," she stops, laughing awkwardly. "When we've slept a bit."

"...Mm, okay," I respond, yawning again as I pull her closer, snuggling against her.

* * *

 **[Updated: 2nd Half]**

Stirring again at some point, I reluctantly pry my eyes open, sighing as sleepiness nips at me. Sunlight streams through in tiny, thin lines through the blinds against my windows, a dim light about the room apart from the game paused on the screen. Game…? Why would…? Fluffy warmth shifts under my chin, my eyes widening as it comes back to me. Ah, she forgot to turn it off before I pulled her into a hug and went to sleep.

Well, it shouldn't have caused it too much damage. Nothing to be done about it now. Running my hand along her back casually, I enjoy the thinness of the shirt she wears, how I can trace my fingers along her spine and feel the contours of her back - it's far different from if I'd pat or smack it while she wears her hoodies or jerseys.

Her breathing is lax, methodical - she nuzzles into me, her hands gripping at the fabric around my chest, some of her hair tickling my collarbone from time to time when she shifts or moves. I inhale sharply, quietly, finding myself both flustered and yet pleased to have her here like this, though… How exactly am I supposed to take this?

I mean, I felt connected to her emotionally, that she might understand for a moment how I've felt, but… what if that was just the sleepy haze talking? What if she wakes up and it's just back to the same routine, the same as always? We're close and I'll tolerate it, but… it'd sting, it'd hurt. To have it be unimportant to one of us while the other took it as something meaningful - I'd not handle it all that well.

I let out a deep sigh, peering around the room with anxious disinterest. Can she feel my heart as it beats? Would it show that I'm worried? I grimace, opting to run my spare hand - that she's actually kind of lying on, so it's been somewhat restricted, but I don't really mind - through her hair, combing it gingerly. It's fluffy, soft, and silky - ultimately nice and pleasing. I suppose I can take that from this, if nothing else.

She stirs, I believe, as her grip on me tightens while she presses herself closer, and I feel her hot breath against my skin - when did my shirt get undone, again? Is it her doing that? - while she makes a sound of contentment. I guess she likes being pet and groomed. That's really kind of cute.

When did I stumble across these annoying feelings, anyways? I've always respected Neptune, always enjoyed her company, but somewhere along the lines… I began to need it, to desire it, realizing that she was a staple in my life that I wouldn't work well without.

She, in reality, is my closest friend and yet more. The thought that she worried I would stray away? Absurd. She can be such an idiot. There's no way that I'd go anywhere, not without her. And I'm pretty positive it'll be that way for, well, forever. Now, if only I could vocalize these thoughts without her shooting them down, without the chance of rejection being ever plausible.

But, if I could do that, I'd already have done so and we'd already be even closer than we are now. I sometimes despise how much of a coward I can be over the things that matter.

"Mmm…" Ah, she's actually waking up, now. Apparently stroking is enough to get her up, then? She's a light sleeper… "...Five… m're… inutes…" My lips curl upward as I listen to her, finding her kid-like response to be endearing; she really can act like a typical teenager when people aren't watching… And sometimes when they are, but I'm splitting hairs, probably.

She's such a dork. But, I wouldn't have her any other way.

As the silence stretches on, I begin debating whether or not waking her is a good idea - sure, I'm comfortable physically, but if this turns out to be nothing special, I'm not going to be. I'm already a little anxious emotionally. Goddess, she's rather frustrating with this kind of stuff. She looks so peaceful when she's asleep, though…

Damn it, I'm not going to be able to weather this for another however long. Running my fingers along the back of her neck absentmindedly, she breathes in sharply and I raise an eyebrow. That, was definitely not the sound of someone asleep…

"...Hey…," I start slowly, not bothering to deafen my voice at all. Something tells me...

"...Mm…?" she replies, and I roll my eyes, gingerly whapping the back of her head. She makes a sound of disapproval at the gesture, but lifts her attention to my face, and I shake my head through a half-lidded scolding stare. "...I just woke up…?" she suggests playfully, and I exhale in mild amusement.

"Mhm. You're a bad liar sometimes," I remark, and she chuckles. We both say nothing afterward, an awkward silence dangling in the air around us. It makes me wonder if the same matter is on her mind or not, honestly - it'd be nice if I could read minds right about now or something, but that's not how this works, is it? Damn it, Goddesses need more abilities, some fancy powers or something.

"...You're nice and warm," I hear her mumble, a redness creeping along my face in immediate, unconscious response. I blink, unsure how to respond as I watch her snuggle into me, and I shift slightly. She makes some sort of sound of amusement at my reaction, eyeing me with a sparkle in her pupils that I can't quite decipher. "Hey…" Her voice is soft, softer than I'm accustomed to - it sends a shiver down my spine.

"M… Mm? What's up?" I reply somewhat sheepishly, scolding myself inwardly for reacting like this to her. It shouldn't really matter as I've done so a lot in the past, but it always gets under my skin that I can't help it. She has effects on me that are rather… hard to ignore. And she probably knows it. Damn it, I see the slightly smug smirk on her lips, too.

"Mmm… just," she pauses, hesitating, her eyes remaining firmly on me. Her fingers wrap tighter around my shirt, and I cock my head. Is this…? "I, uh, wanted to say something."

"...Go on, I'm listening, Neptune," I reply clearly, calmly, though I'm everything but on the inside. This usually leads to that, doesn't it? It has to. Or does it mean the opposite? Goddess damn it. I hope not. It'd be nice if it were that.

Another stop as she chews on her lip, her attention never shifting in the slightest; her gaze is a little embarrassing with how serious, sincere, and stalwart it is. To be stared at like this… it's exciting, but it's so nerve-wracking. I swallow hard and she does the same.

"I, uh… We've… been friends for a long time, right…?" she starts, smiling weakly.

"...Yeah, yeah, we have," I answer, returning her expression. A sense of tears building at my eyes gnaws at me, though I can tell that there isn't anything there… yet. There probably will be, though, no matter how this goes.

"And… we're really close, right?" Neptune continues, and I nod gingerly, my chest beating harder and harder by the moment. Is she dragging this out on purpose or is she just as nervous as I am…?

She wiggles on the bed, bringing her head up closer to mine, her warm breath dancing along my bare skin as it sends ripples of goosebumps along me. I shiver again under the sensation, taking a shaky breath. "So, I've… I've wondered…"

"...Out with it, already," I admonish her gently, exhaling. "Just… say it."

She smirks wearily at me, shrugging. "A girl's gotta' build up, y'know…? I mean, even I get nervous…"

"And you think I'm not…? Just… do it, or I'll have to." I can't help being impatient. It's one of those barely-tolerable moments; the waiting is killing me, the anxiety is choking me, the nervousness, the butterflies, they're overwhelming me. It's not fun.

"...Could ya'? I'm… I'm having some problems, ah.. Ahaha…," she offers a sheepish apology in the form of a messy shrug-wink-smile that just makes her look silly, but adorable.

So… it's confirmed, then? I can… act? I have to be the first one to step forward? "D… damn it, Neptune. The one time… Hah," I sigh aloud, taking a deep breath, steadying myself, urging myself to calm down and compose myself as best I can, my hands sliding down to her arms to hold onto them. Setting my eyes on hers, I don't dare break eye contact, taking one final moment to breathe…

"Neptune, I… I love you," I squeak out, feeling my voice deafen to a whisper as I push the words off my tongue, out of my throat, to let it finally float between us. At once, both her hands and mine tighten on one another, her eyes widening as a blush floods itself across her while my cheeks burn as if they were on fire.

"Ha… Hahahahah…," nervous, embarrassed laughter bubbles out of Neptune as she pulls herself closer, our eye contact never breaking. "So… ya' said it, huh? I… I should too, probably, huh…?"

"...I'd, um… I'd prefer it? I mean, I'd prefer you don't… um, just leave it unanswered… and… y'know," I respond as if it were obvious, both of us taking a moment to chuckle - some of the tension relieved. "Yeah," I suddenly inhale, nodding, "a, uh, response would be nice, Neptune."

"I see, I see… but how else am I supposed to build susp… Ow! Ow! Don't pinch me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll say it!" she relents as I tighten my fingertips together at her sides, her response being an obedient squeal as she flails a little.

"Serves you right," I grumble.

She breathes deeply, narrowing her eyes on me again, now with a much more comfortable, relieved smile. "I love you, Noire~!" she chirps. **Thmp**. I feel my entire body stiffen, my chest making itself acutely known to me as I tilt my head to the side, further into the pillow I've been resting on.

"...Again."

She blinks. "I… love you, Noire?"

"Again."

Pursing her lips while biting back an amused yet confused expression, she nods. "I love you, Noire!"

"...Again~."

"I love you, Noire~!"

I laugh, feeling a little dazed - it's… an overwhelming thing to hear. It's real, too. I even pinched her earlier to confirm it. It's real. This is real. I'm not dreaming. She cocks her head, her face still bright red but recovering - a testament to how it truly has to be Neptune - as she leans in, peering at me with concern.

"...Uh… Are ya'... okay?" she asks softly, shifting her attention to her hands, watching them as if they were foreign. Is she afraid to move them? I mean…

"I'm… okay~. Just a little… fuzzy? I mean… It's kind of a big deal, for me, at least. I don't recover nearly as quickly as you do. Give me some credit for not completely fizzling out," I answer her after a few moments, having finally reclaimed my voice. "And… you don't have to just leave your hands there. I mean… this is real, isn't it?"

An instantaneous nod. "...Duh."

Carefully, I run my hands up along her sides, her arms, her neck, tracing the outline of her face with both hands before cupping it, enjoying the softness of her skin. Soft, warm, pleasing to the touch, a tiny bit squishy - Neptune in a nutshell, I'd say. I smile, staring intently at her, just… basking, as she sluggishly, cautiously moves her hands. Her purple eyes search my face for any resistance, any discomfort, though I'm positive she doesn't find any. Why would she? Still, she barely moves, and I roll my eyes.

"I've known you for… how long? Do you think I'm going to just take it all back because you put your hand somewhere?" I ask, and she grins sheepishly.

"There are… uh, a lot of thoughts going through my head right now, y'know? I dunno' if I'll… ahahah," she laughs awkwardly, not bothering to finish her sentence while I raise my eyebrows upward.

"...S-so?" I manage out, finding the words to actually tell her it's fine to be much harder than expected, opting instead for a more ambiguous form of affirmation. Not out of a lack of want, but… anxious nervousness? I mean… we just confessed and everything, right? Is this how stuff works, or is it because it's been decades too long? Actually… "...Hey, how long've you been… y'know… um."

"In love with you?" she finishes my sentence, and I nod in embarrassment as she runs her fingers along my collarbone and neck, my body shivering and leaning into each finger. I never knew I was so… starved for this. Ugh, I need to sort myself out… "It's… been a while. Probably… the same for you, right?"

"...Mm. Too long," I mutter, thinking back - these feelings have been here even before the Ultradimension fiasco, before even the ASIC mess. "Wayyyy too long," I clarify, offering her a mock glare. "Why'd you… make me wait so long, huh? I've… been impatient."

"Hey now," she retorts with a pout. "What if I was wrong and you didn't feel the same? I mean, that'd be a pretty unpleasant surprise, y'know? It might even break my little heart," she explains her anxiety, and I snicker. "...Nepu? The heck're ya' laughing about? I'm being honest here!"

"No, no, just… funny," I begin my response, brushing some hair from in front of her eyes. Goddess, she's cute when she's sulking, too. I want to cuddle her and mess her hair up, though it'd probably be impolite considering I'm currently fixing and combing through it instead. Ah, right, a response, "I just… didn't know you were worrying about the same stupid thing. That's all."

She grumbles something under her breath, though it's so inaudible or maybe even a little incoherent that I can't understand her. I pat her head without a sound in reassurance while flashing her an apologetic smile. Her expression perks up a minute amount as she leans into my hand, yawning.

"...Didn't you just wake up?" I ask, surprised by the fatigue escaping her lips.

"...Huh?" Her tone boasts that she's perplexed.

"You're yawning," having pointed it out, she moves a hand from having now been drawing hearts on my chest to scratch her cheek absentmindedly. "K...ind of? I was, I guess you could say, more preoccupied snuggling against and listening to my black heart?" she answers with a goofy grin, and I blink for a moment. Is that…?

"...Did you just pun off my hair and my title?"

"...Maybe? Didja' appreciate my brilliance?"

"It… was pretty bad. I mean, it was pretty abysmal."

"Ouch, my faith in my talent as a comedian!"

"For your valiant efforts before your career's death, I'll award you a Purple Heart."

"...I…" She just, stops, blinking at me with disbelief.

"I know. Brilliant, right?" I say with a smug beam.

"...Mm," she suddenly agrees, catching me off-guard. "More brilliant than anything," she finishes her thought in time for my face to light up like wildfire. She snickers, blush making itself known on her cheeks and ears as well, hugging me again. "Pfft… Heheheh… Your faaace~!"

"S-shut up! You… You're just as red as I am!" I shout at her, though my lips are curled upward in happiness. She meant that, didn't she? It's… so fuzzy~! I can't stop a soft, contented sound of satisfaction mounting its escape from my throat as I squish her against me, burying my face in her fluffy hair, the lavender-pinkish strands tickling as they brush against my cheeks and nose.

She struggles a little, pressed firmly into my chest, trying to say something… though I can't really hear her as she sounds muffled. She's too comfy to stop hugging at this point. I continue to run my fingers over her scalp, enjoying petting her - it's much better to do than to dream about, after all, and her hair is really pleasant to the touch. I could really get accustomed to it.

I'm not coming off too strong, am I? I suddenly begin fretting, loosening my grip on Neptune as I pull back a bit with a grimace, eyeing her in concern. She blinks in confusion, looking up at me in wonder before her expression grows with stern worry, a silent 'What's wrong' playing across her face.

"...I'm… not too pushy, am I?" My voice is quiet, a little unsure…

...But the resounding visage of 'Are you Nepping me?' causes it to crumble at once. "...Noire." I flinch slightly before her displeased tone, swallowing hard. "Are you… really asking about stuff like that…?"

I can't really well deny it now, can I? Goddess damn my insecurity. "...I did."

Silence drags.

Out of nowhere, her legs straddle mine as she pulls herself up while pushing me sideways onto my back, and I discover myself somewhat trapped underneath her as she gazes down at me with narrowed eyes. Gulp. This… can't end peaceably, can it? I open my mouth to try and apologize, but find fingers pressed to my lips.

"Lemme' make something clear," she starts, inhaling. A hum sounds through the air, a blinding flash, and then, Goddess truly damn me, Purple Heart replaces Neptune on top of me, a scolding reproach hanging in her eyes. On a side note… the shirt doesn't fit as well, now, with the buttons keeping it held shut now hanging open, my face flushing at the unintentional view before me. She… looks nice, like that, though, even if I'm… about to get a scolding. She blinks, raising an eyebrow as she casts her attention downward, immediately taking note of the situation. Snorting in amusement, she shakes her head.

"Your embarrassed looks of desire and interest aside, no matter how attractive they may be," the stern, strong voice of Purple Heart begins, calling out on the thoughts I didn't want mentioned, which only makes me squirm, damn it, "I wish to make something clear before we do something that is long overdue." One of her hands runs along my torso, her pointer and thumb easily undoing the buttons of my pajamas as if they were the simplest things in the world. She's… I shiver. "I love you, and as such," she takes a short pause to ghost along my skin, toying with me to earn a quiet sound I can't hold back. Nnn… She's not even fazed… "I adore all of your qualities, my little Noire," her words come in a purr, her eyes glowing with blatantly-present, love-fueled lust as… Hnn! "...Mm? Are my hips moving against yours that distracting~?"

"...Nnmm…"

A giggle. "Is that an attempt to say yes? How cute~..."

Nnnh… I writhe as she leans down, pressing her body against mine, grinding… "I… I can't focu… Aah! Don't lick me like that y-yet!" How can her tongue against my neck feel so…~?

"Yet, hmm? I can't help it. You're so cute, I want to see more of you, feel more of you…," her voice is needy, a little animalistic… "...Ooh? You're reacting more honestly…~"

"...Don't you… say it!" I manage out, unable to stop a whimper as her teeth graze my collarbone. "A...aah…"

"Say what, exactly~? Ah, and where were we…?" Her movements stop for a moment as she straightens her back to look down at me, though I can tell it's only to let me try and recompose myself - the catlike sparkle in her eyes, a predator watching its prey, is too obvious… Uuurgh… I'm not going to be able to get out of this, then… "You're so cute underneath me, you know." My face flushes, though I can't help the happy tremble running through me. These words…~ "Allow me to finish my original point, and then we can finally express all of the long-held, overly-confined affection we've both built up. Is that fair~?" I nod weakly, watching her as she chuckles with a warm smile. So beautiful. I want to see more... "What a wonderful morning this is. But, my lovely Noire…" I want… to catch her off-guard. I'm not going to just submit…! "I just wished to say…" Now, what could I…? "That apologizing for…" Ah! There's _that_ … "Anything, is strictly…"

"...Sorry~," I say playfully, cutting her off. She stops, blinking in confusion as I slide an arm under me, pushing off of it as my torso rises up. I wrap my other arm around her neck, tugging her down with me as I collapse back onto the bed, hungrily pressing my lips to hers.

"...Mmh!"

It's my turn to giggle, my legs wrapping around her while twisting us around so that we trade positions. Her lips are so soft, I could melt… but I can't. "I want more of you, Neptune~...," I mutter. "...To hell with the talk. I want you."

She stiffens, a pleasant expression flashing across her face. So she likes me like this, huh…? "...Mm… mm. I just wanted to…"

Pressing fingers into her mouth, I shake my head. "Ah-ah-ah. No more. You started this… Now, let me enjoy myself, 'kay~?" I order her with a dark smirk, slipping my free hand behind me, between her thighs…

"...Aah…"

"I love you, Neptune~. Now, let me show it…~"

* * *

 **Also just had an issue where I couldn't create a new document, so I just had to convert and write over an old fluff document I'd had here. Wondering if that's an issue on my end or FF's. Oh well.**

 **Regardless - I hope you all had a good Christmas / happy holiday merriment thus far, depending! Wishin' you all good thoughts as I get myself back on track again for the time, and hope this read well enough.** **Can't make too many comments on it myself, since it's from a more mellow theme and considering that's the mood I'm in, can't say my reflections'll do much right now beyond be harsh and critical. But, that's not really important - just felt like something small, so here it is.**

 **It feels slightly incomplete, though, so I might come back to this later today for more to tack onto it. Hopefully I do. If not - curse you, future me. :(**

[UPDATED] Well, past me - you got your wish. It's been updated, now with a steamier, more conclusive cliff-hanger-teaser. Are you happy? Are you satisfied? Because I sure am. It's nice to write fluffy-warm, and to add on to fluffy-warm. Fluffy-warm is best. Fluffy-warm is life.

I'm not quite sure how well it ultimately reads as I've been on-and-off with it for the last two days, and I also admit that writing intimate scenes - d _espite the fact that they'll begin popping up more as I've decided I should experiment with them_ \- is oftentimes very difficult as I am quite the opposite of intimate in many cases. Still hope it was enjoyable regardless. Anyway - I'm not sure what'll come next, apart from whatever else will _probably_ still be before New Years, so bear that in mind! I'm debating more yuri goodness - which, is really what I'm mostly known for at this point, apart from being a super-obsessed worshiper of the four Goddesses in general (plus the others to a lesser extent) - or I might post something non-shipping-based, yet still fluffy. We'll see. I just feel like _more fluff is a must._

But, I digress. I hope you all stick with me as I journey on and post whatever next stirs my whimsy. And in turn, I hope whatever I turn out continues to please! :D

 **Oh well. That's about it for now, ladies and gents.**

Tainted out!~


	47. Shot 47! Mulling it Over

**Hello, hello! I'm... not dead! For now!**

 **Have a Purple and Black blippy thing that I'd decided to just sort of throw out here instead of actual planned stuff... just because!**

 **I'm not done yet, I swear!**

* * *

It's an odd thing, peace. No, wait, it's utterly absurd, actually, and it all still feels like one big dream, some strange, surreal concoction of a sleep-deprived blackout when I was neck-deep in paperwork. The entire notion is something that never existed before, something that was never on the table, to never be spoken of, to never even have been an entertaining thought!

Until recently, that is. And that might be the part where it's like I've entered a different dimension or something. Ha ha, very funny, me. That's impossible.

Still, who would have thought? Better yet, _why_ did I go ahead and accept…? Ah, right, it was because of _her._ All of it, actually, was because of that long, violet-haired woman and her annoyingly forward, charismatic, whimsical nature… I'm sure of it.

Not just Lastation, but Lowee and Leanbox - both with a good bit of help from me, of course, but, who cares - ceased their hostilities upon the urging request of Planeptune, coming to the table for intermittent talks and discussions… followed by peace.

 _What?!_

I know, right?!

 _Thwack._ That should be the normal reaction! Hundreds upon hundreds of years with swords and spears and axes pointed at one another, swung with intent to kill, and yet here we are… peacefully burying the hatchet to work toward a united Gamindustri! How the hell did this happen?!

"...Gaaaah!" I emit a sound of frustrated disbelief, kicking my legs into the air atop the couch while clutching and pulling at my hair. It's so nonsensical, I don't understand where it began or even _why_ it began! She just… wanted to stop fighting. Her! _Her!_ How the hell does someone make that change after centuries of being proactive in fighting us?!

No… I stop my confused flailing, sighing as I settle into the comforting dark leather cushions, leaning my head back as I peer up to the plain white ceiling. Reaching down absentmindedly to grab one of the cushions that had made its temporary home on the floor, I pull it into my lap and wrap my arms around it. Ultimately, there are a few reasons why I can suppose that she wanted peace. Hell, it doesn't seem unreasonable, when I think about it.

Why were we fighting, anyway? When I give it some consideration, I don't really have a good answer. 'True Goddess'? We already _are_ , of our respective nations. Of other nations? Like _Hell_ that they'd listen after we'd gone and cut their leader down or sabotaged them into surrendering. There's just no way that it'd conceivably work out.

Was that what she said? No, of course not. She had other things to talk about, or rather, not talk about and just merely be absurdly friendly and a little off. Maybe _I'm_ the weird one, but she's just so damn touchy, so _warm_ -bah! No, I don't need to remember that. Focus, she's a damn ally of my nation now…

 _Ally._ The word rings in the back of my mind, the entire sense of it seeming distantly foreign and yet so enticingly familiar. Why did it seem so normal, now? It's only been a few months like this, after all. No, better yet, why are my thoughts always so muddled when it comes to her?

She's like a damn tidal wave, and I'm drowning as I get swept along wherever she feels like washing over. Hell, I helped build her up, willingly throwing myself in this situation. Why? Maybe I can analyze it somehow. Let's try and think.

First… first was the few days that she had entirely vanished from Celestia. It was odd, she wasn't injured or anything, and she felt a bit distant, careless, uninterested - her fighting consisted of being only on the defensive, repelling anyone that directed the fight to her as she had a strange thousand-yard stare. And then, suddenly, she just… up and vanished. I looked around for a while after disengaging from Green and White, but she was nowhere to be found.

Then… the letter. That absurd letter was really the start of it all. Can I blame myself? I was curious! Getting a sudden messenger who claimed to come from Planeptune, to have them recite a formal request to set aside the 'worthless time sink that is war' and to come to Planeptune to improve our tenuous relations and talk not as enemies, but as neighbors. It was out of the blue, unexpected, stamped with what the mortal repeatedly urged was her official seal - I found myself too intrigued by the peculiarity of it that I actually attended the request and went! And then… And then…

It's… a colorful nation. A hell of a lot brighter and more relaxed than Lastation is, by far. It might even be _too_ bright and cheery, for me, at least. Like a gigantic flower, or what would happen if one stared directly at the sun, maybe. It's just… so intense. Like her. She's strangely intense and forward and… I don't know. I don't know anymore, not at all.

How can someone be so… unique? It's almost intimidating. She tried to be so friendly, so amicable, always being so damn touchy and close. It's what I'd imagined a lover would be like, but I'm mistaken, I guess. There's no way. Especially-yeah, I'm being weird right now. I ought to just shelve it, I'm sure she's the same way with White and Green when spending time talking to them…

That… sort of bothers me… Hmm…

W-well, it's fine. She's, well, sort of my first friend, isn't she? Wait, can I _call_ her a friend? Damn it, I'm not good with these sorts of things. How the hell am I supposed to act now, now that I don't have to greet them with snark while materializing my blade? Do I greet them with a 'Hey, how are you?' or is that too personal? We're not exactly allies ye- _Yet?!_ Where the hell am I pulling that from?!

"Agggh!" _Thmp._ The pillow slams harmlessly against the wall as I scoop up another, squishing it firmly against me while curling up around it. Stupid and annoying, how dare she make me so damn off! I've been getting worse with this day by day, like a festering illness.

 _Clp, clp._ Ow. Too hard, my cheeks ring and burn faintly from the gesture, though I shake my head to rid my attention of this slight nuisance, my white hair flowing and flying here and there with me. Get it together, Noire. You're not some flaky mortal; you're a Goddess of one of the four nations! Yeah… Yeah. I shouldn't be letting her get inside my head so much. It's not like I should be focusing on this right now, anyway. She's off handling…

 _Clk._ The door swings open, "Pardon my intrusion! Is Black Heart in here… ah." Cerulean eyes immediately dart to me, eyebrows raising curiously as she crosses her arms in front of her, a hand resting against her chin. Her hair, as violet as the color can get, her skin shimmering as if reflecting an endless sunlight, her voluptuous body and slender hands clad in a modest black dress and silky gloves as she stands in the doorway, watching me. "...I do not mean to be rude, but what might you be doing, little Black?"

 _Little_ Black; a nickname she took to nearly immediately, one that she noticed got under my skin even back when we would trade blows. It was mildly embarrassing, as if it were a pet name - something that I didn't care for, given our standings with one another. I'd told her with a bit of an iciness before to not use it, but it seems to have gone in one ear and out the other. Typical, for her.

Well, it doesn't change that blowing her off would be discourteous and entirely rude on my end. If I could clarify that I was ignoring that first part without seeming absurd, I would, but instead I simply clear my throat, closing my eyes as I respond, "Thinking, Purple. Thinking. What brings you to Lastation today?"

Stepping into the room while cautiously closing the door behind her, her head moves here and there across the room's interior with a twinge of childlike wonder written onto her face. What does she find so interesting about Lastation, anyway…? We're a practical nation with very little superfluous furnishing, what can you even look so intently for…? Or is that what this is? Ah, now I'm paranoid.

"...Mm, I just wished to greet you. Is that so wrong, to check on my neighbor and ensure their well-being?" she responds after a few minutes, offering me one of those innocent, confident, bewitchingly blinding smiles of hers. _Th-thmp._ Gh, stop that, that's the faux-friendly smile that she always uses. Why am I reacting so damn much to her, anyway? It's unlike me.

"It is, actually, because it's _you._ What do you actually want, Purple?" I ask frankly, narrowing my eyes on her in suspicion. She takes a step toward the sofa that I'm sitting on - why is she coming over here, anyway? There's another one across from me… bah, whatever - and waits patiently as I draw my legs closer to myself. Setting herself casually onto the well-polished leather, she crosses her legs in what has to be an absentminded manner as her head cranes sideways to focus on me intently. Hands folded in her lap primly, I move a hand to pinch the bridge of my nose in exasperation, sighing.

"Hm?"

"Your dress isn't covering your legs like that. It's indecent."

A chuckle from her, "Ahh. Must you stare so? It might embarrass me."

A-ah, damn it, wrong impression! "I-it's not like that, stop that reasoning right there. If someone enters-"

"Ah, are you worried about my image? How cute," she answers, batting her eyelashes playfully at me - ugh! This is why I can't tolerate her for long periods - as her smile grows warmer. "Worry not, little Black. I will be quick to remedy the matter if someone unexpected enters the room, though I do not believe it will be too problematic."

What the hell does she mean by that? I can't tell, so I opt instead to close my eyes, letting out a resigned breath as I fall back against the arm of the chair again with a _thmp._ Frankly, I'd prefer to say nothing, now, and instead enjoy the comforting closeness that the sofa's back and arm offer me. It's cozy to curl up like this, even if I'm a bit bunched up, thanks to her…

"...Hmm…," her voice penetrates the peace shortly after I begin to focus on it - damnable woman, what is it going to be now…? - as the sofa rumbles a bit from what feels like her wiggling into it. "Mm… Your furniture is comfortable, but it is a bit stiffer than Planeptune's. Rigid, more like a mattress, perhaps."

"Lastation doesn't like gigantic, fluffy things and beanbags for seating wherever we go. It helps our posture and our muscles for it to be a bit sturdier," I comment, waving a hand dismissively into the air. "If you don't like it, leave."

"Oh, how rude," I hear her sulkily retort. "Should you not be more hospitable? It is unpleasant to act so callous to your guests, you know."

"Oh, I'm deeply sorry. I'll correct it right away…," my tone is sarcastic as my eyelids open, my attention moving down to focus on her figure beyond my tucked-together legs. "It's not as though we have been like this for centuries, anyway. If I treated you like some dignified ally, wouldn't that be even more absurd? How about it, O' Gracious Lady Purple Heart of Planeptune, Land of Purple Progress?"

The shiver of disdain that echoes through her body is a good answer, though she follows it up by coughing into her hand. "Cff, cff. It seems that you are not wrong, it is quite… detestable. Shall we do away with formalities altogether, then?"

Ah, I've put myself in another one of those positions where she attempts to get overly friendly. Damn it. Now, how do I keep the lines in the sand drawn, for my own sanity…? "Uhh… no. That's not the answer, either. Keep your distance and we can talk as we normally do, and go from there. That's the most reasonable and natural way, isn't it?"

"...Hmm… but how do we normally talk, then, little Black? Is it not just hateful words and banter, if we refer to how the last centuries have been?" The answer is swift, immediate, as if calculated, and it causes me to grimace. She's _technically_ right, isn't she? How would we go about talking like normal people…? "As you no doubt can tell, friendliness between one another is something that we are inexperienced in as rulers. Surely," she says, setting a hand on my knee as she speaks, "the best approach to remedying this is…"

"Why must we remedy it anyway? And move your hand. It's warm and I don't need my legs to be warm," I proclaim, continuing on without letting her formulate some odd response or counterargument. "We are neutral nations now. Is that not good enough? Competition will always be there, but it won't be under hostile intent - our people will slowly exchange ideas and relations, bettering everyone's standing over time. However, that does not mean that _we_ need to be friends, now do we? Overall, we are still competing for the people's support and not a single day goes by that I do not intend to retain and strengthen my place as a Goddess of this world. Despite me helping you, do not mistake it as an outright alliance or an extension of friendship - it was goodwill that I acted on for the sake of my populace and nothing more, Purple. Don't…"

Pressure on my knees presses my legs apart to reveal the stern cerulean eyes of the Goddess before me, her gaze firm and focused as our eyes connect. "Black Heart, stop hiding, look me in the eyes and understand. I do not care for what your 'intentions' were in your assistance in uniting Gamindustri - it matters little to me. I, myself, intend to become closer to you. Not for Planeptune or Lastation, but for _myself_. It is my own wish. As such, I will continue pushing forward…," she leans closer, her head and shoulders propped up between my knees so that I can't close them so easily - annoyingly, since I don't want her so damn close, my heart agreeing with how anxious her closeness makes me - while cerulean never moves from where it rests as it observes every facet of me, searching for a weakness for her to try to break through. "...Until we have overcome the years of animosity with you and I closer than before. Is that not fair, to pursue as my own intent?"

"Ghh… W-why the hell do you want to be so friendly with us, anyway?! It's not like it'll be some sort of social circle where we sit down and drink tea, damn it! We've been trying to kill each other for _centuries_! Do you not understand what that…"

 _Tmp-tmp._ Her hands now fall on either side beside my waist, a flicker of annoyance displayed on her face. "So what if we have?! It matters not to _me_ , it does not distort the wish to be nearer to _you_ , and it does not sway my decision in the slightest! When have I ever backed down from a decision, Black Heart?" she declares with unabashed, blatant determination. Move the hell back, you damn…! Bah! She's right, but she's so _stupid_ when she gets set on something! Like commenting that her fighting style was too damn reckless, or that Planeptune was inept with their technology, or that there was no way of peace… Ghhh! She needs to _move_!

 _Thmp-thmp, thmp-thmp, thmp-thmp, thmp-thmp._

"Get… the… hell… _off!_ " I shout, grabbing at her arms to try and push her away from me. Move, move, _move!_ Give me space to think! "Who ever said I cared what _you_ wanted?! You're… being pushy, you pain… in the ass! I helped you for… my own benefit, I don't need any… damn… friends!" She refuses to budge, my best efforts failing as I struggle to tug and pull at her. "You're so annoying with that! Stop being so close, so warm, so friendly! I didn't _ask_ for you to be like this!"

"I… refuse! I will do what I want, until you… accept… it!" My knee is shoved aside as she drives her thigh down, a growl bubbling from my throat. Get! Off!

"Accept… _what_ , you… stupid woman?! To be… buddy-buddy?! To hell with… that! I don't… need friends!" Who wants to befriend their enemy?! Their rival?! What kind of idiot _would?!_ It's absurd!

"Then…! I will… not be your friend!" she throws back, pushing down on my arms, but I'm not letting her win like that! Twisting and struggling, I counter her force with a snarl.

"To… hell with you! You're… too… damn… pushy!"

"And you…! Too… stubborn! Submit…!"

"I refuse! I won't… ever… lose to you, damn it!" I growl, finally managing to shove her backward, earning a surprised yelp as she tumbles against the other arm of the chair. Releasing her hands, I glare daggers in frustration at her, shaking my head. "What the hell is your problem, anyway?! I don't recall you being this pushy with the other two! Go make friends with Green Heart or something!"

A twitch results from her eye as she lifts her head, her expression as agitated and unwavering as mine. "I do not desire to be close with that woman, do not mistake me!"

What the hell? Why is she so focused on bridging the distance, anyway?! It's unreasonable, and it _has_ to be me?! "What's _with_ that? You're acting like it's importa…"

"It _is_ , you damnably stubborn woman!" she shouts, lurching… Gah! Damn it, I _just_ …!

The struggle continues…!

* * *

 **Later.**

* * *

"...Hhh… Hhh…"

"...Haa… Haaa…"

Having not been willing to be pinned, I've kept her from making any progress on pushing me down, though she _won't get the hell off either_ , resulting in a stalemate as she sits in the same spot as before, our hands extended to create a firm distance between us as we spar silently with icy expressions. Nothing came from the struggle, either, except for a tiring wrestling match with no victor.

"...Okay, fine. I need to ask. Why…," I start, sighing, though I can't let my sight or focus waver even the slightest bit if I want to keep her away from me, "...do you _insist_ on being so damn close?"

What the hell. She exhales with a touch of annoyance, as if I'd asked something obvious. "If I do not stay in front of you, you avoid eye contact and attempt to escape. It is the easiest solution to prevent such a problem," she explains matter-of-factly, rolling her eyes. Do I really do that? I don't think so. She's lying, isn't she? She has to be. "I am not lying. It displays on your face, you know."

Eh? "Eh? It does not. You're just guessing," I grumble back, shaking my head. "I just don't like dealing with you. You should get off."

"I refuse. I do not mind sitting like this."

" _I_ _do._ It's awkward and you're heavy."

A faux expression in offense displays on her face. "How rude, to imply…!"

Rolling my eyes in response, I take a breath, frowning. "Yeah, yeah. Fine, I'll be angry if you try to move closer, though. Why the hell are you so dead set on being close to me? Not to be rude, but, I work frequently and you seem whimsical. It's not like I'll see you a lot to have tea or whatever the hell it is that you want from me, anyway." It's true, too - I'm well aware that I'm a bit of a workaholic. No one understands this better than I do, especially given the last month of extra work in getting messengers and spreading both false and true information into Lowee and Leanbox, as well as firming up our neutrality and an intelligence network that goes between Planeptune and Lastation. So, the question is, "Why me?"

"Hm… is it not obvious?"

"No. It isn't. Enlighten me, would you?" And lighten me, too, but I opt not to say this. My humor probably wouldn't help me out of this situation.

She purses her lips, exhaling with soft resignation. "I am fond of you. Is that not reason enough?"

 _Fond?_ "T-that… could be misconstrued. Please, um," I choke, slightly embarrassed by the blunt admission, my gaze on her gentling. "...Uh… Please elaborate, since I don't really…"

She chuckles, smirking. "I'm _fond_ of you. Does that help?" Ah, damn it, stop leaning in!

"N-no, it does not! Are you telling me that you like harassing me and being a pain in the ass, or…" I try to lean back, but the cushion and arm of the chair are in the way… Ah! "D-don't move your legs against me! I told you to stay back!"

"I refuse, little Black. And by the way…," ugggh, why is she craning her head tow… aah! Twisting my head to the side doesn't help since I'm still holding her up… Nooo… Why…! Hot breath on my ear…! "Who said I was harassing you, lit~tle~ Black~? I meant it wholeheartedly when I said that I wanted to be closer to you, you know?"

Closer… _Closer…_ Closer…? _Closer?!_ Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Waitaminutewaitaminutewaitaminutewaitaminutewaitaminute.

Closer.

Fond.

 _Fond._

...Oh. No, no way. No… hhh! "N-not my ear, damn you! L-let me… _hhh_ … think!" I shout at her, my tone far whinier than I would have preferred. Damn it, there's no way…! "Y-you're not saying…?"

A quiet giggle assss! N-no! That'ssss wet… "And if I am~? Ah, you're… quite sensitive in your ears, hm~?"

"S-stop! You can't be…! We… We've been-nnnh! S-stop, stop!" I cannn't focus like thisss… "We were… enemies!"

"Mmm…" _Lllick._ "And~? I told you before, I am quite fond of you, little Black. I _could_ tell you more, but… Mm. Perhaps… I do not interest you?" Haa…? I blink once, twice, and then a third time, moving my head to face her, a curious haze surrounding her. She's… so close… Aaagh… Brain's allll… muddled. She… flowers? What is that…? Smells nice. Agh, focus, focus, focus!

"H-hold on. I… need to process this," I mutter quietly, my hands trembling slightly as I hold her at bay. I can't let go of that, or something might happen. Need to process, need to think. What am I supposed to…?

Purple Heart… likes me, apparently.

Purple Heart likes me.

 _Thmp-thmp-thmp-thmp. Thmp-thmp-thmp-thmp._

My heart… That's a little fast. What the hell. I'm _reacting_ to that?!

So, hold on. I clear my throat, noticing… Yeah, she's just been watching me intently. Swallowing hard, I force the embarrassment that results from acknowledging this to the side, my cheeks burning gently as I ask, "...So… you getting friendly…?"

Her head tilts, the loose violet hair swaying slightly. "Hm? What about it? I wished to get to know you better. Your reactions are quite cute."

...Agh. Will it away, will it away! "W-why? I-I mean, don't you do the same to…"

"Goddesses, no. What do you take me for, a harlot? Even I can become quite offended and upset, little Black," she cuts me off with a cold grimace, sighing. "While neutrality with them is beneficial for Gamindustri, it is a good excuse to keep them from bothering us, is it not? Ceasing the clandestine raids on our Basilicoms, no more competition in Celestia… is it not the wisest choice?"

S-so… "So, you asked for my help in the ceasefire because…?"

A flat laugh rolls off of her lips. "Clearing out obstacles. Such as the staff in interrupting us, as well." A-ah? Did she just…?

 _I will be quick to remedy the matter if someone unexpected enters the room, though I do not believe it will be too problematic._

...Ah.

Ahhh.

I see now.

"...Oh? It seems that you grasped something," she whispers, her voice warm and intrigued, a shiver working its way through me.

It was all one big ploy, one singular endeavor to…

"...Y-you did this to shorten the distance… b-between us?" I ask incredulously, finding it preposterous. "The… That sounds…"

A bubbly giggle. "Is it not unbelievable? And yet, here I am, little Black. I never claimed to be wholly honest in my intentions to bury the hatchet. I simply said that it would be for the best for the world."

It's odd. I should be more doubtful, more skeptical, more suspicious. I should find her words entirely false, to repel her, and yet, the month of strangely affectionate gestures rings firmly in my mind. Was this why she was so deeply entrenched in my mind? Was this what her entire plan revolved around?

It was bewildering. It seemed unreasonable.

Much like Purple Heart herself, an enigma among enigmas, an unknown entity that didn't follow conventional rules. A whimsical, proud, fox-like woman that did as she pleased, as if the world was a blank canvas that she danced around, painting it in whatever color she pleased.

And here I was, another pawn to such a game, trapped underneath her. A target - something that she claimed to set her eyes upon. I knew well that she did not let go of things that she focused on, another shiver coursing through my body.

Aah. My resolve weakens slightly and her body moves closer.

I'm kind of fucked. And yet… it's not…

"...Mm? Little Black, your eyes are rather… odd?"

"...Hey, Purple," I mumble, my voice barely audible.

"Yes~? What is it~?"

"...You're… serious, aren't you? About… this?"

She blinks once, tilting her head. "About… this?" Repeating the question to herself, a puzzled expression hangs on her face for a few moments before her eyes widen as if grasping it finally. "...Ah. About you?"

Nodding my head weakly, I turn to the side, minutely pouting. "I'll… never forgive you, if it's…"

"...Black Heart."

Looking back at her, I discover the endlessly confident cerulean to be far closer than before, noticing that she slipped out of my grasp as a pressure rests on top of me. So, my defenses failed me, it seems…

"If I had any intention for it to be whimsy, would I have continued this for the last month?" That warm, obnoxious smile spreads across her face, her head swaying back and forth as it rests on my chest, her hot breath tickling my skin even through the shirt that I wore. "Would I have tolerated the arduous test for peace, and sought a ceasefire with you?" A hand ghosts to my cheek, the warmth of it as it cups me soothing. She's so warm… "Would I be here even now, centuries later, after all the senseless battle?"

She _was_ surprisingly patient…

"...So, please do not ask me that. The answer is obvious, is it not? Even if not, would it not be fair to say that time will tell?"

Moving my newly freed hand to scratch at my unattended cheek, I frown. "I-I don't… know how I'm, um, going to…"

"We can take our time. At least I have not been shoved off for a second time," she comments, the notion that she found the gesture more bothersome than I'd initially intended. Oops.

"Ah… ahaha. I'm, uh… sorry? No, wait," I knit my eyebrows as I opt to stand my ground. "How was I supposed to know that you were trying…" No, I actually _did_ acknowledge it as being affectionate, I suppose. "...How was I supposed to react!" I instead respond, feeling a slight ping of guilt.

"By… not being thick headed, perhaps?"

"You're… asking for a bit much. Even _I_ can tell you that."

"...Haaah. I got through with a heavier-handed approach, so I cannot complain, but…" She smiles weakly, letting out a fatigued breath. "Please… do work on that? I do not want to be pushed away in the future."

"...No promises?"

"Black."

"...I'll, uh. I'll try."

"Good. Now, come here…~"

"...H-hey! No! Too soon, too soon!"

* * *

 **And that's a wrap, for now!**

 **I've been medically fucked for the last few months, worse than usual, so I'm sorry about the lapse in basically falling off the face of the earth, but, I'm aroundish and writing again to try and stay in good spirits, so expect more out of me in a lot of my project areas!**

 **If you want to talk to me more outside of waiting for these, I'm on a discord with Zergface, too, so check him out if you want to join our little author gathering. We've got quite a few people, though more lovers of yuri would make me a happier human being!**

 **I'll post about my own stuff elsewhere. I hope this worked out as it's been quite some time and I'd come back to it repeatedly over the last couple of days. It's a start, regardless, for the stuff I want to get into. Expect more work in the next few days since I'm going to continue onto the next one after I upload this other piece alongside this one.**

 **Tainted out!~**


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